Introduction

Although highway bridges are designed, with periodic maintenance, to carry traffic for up to 50 years, a variety of factors - such as design defects, poor materials, accidents, and unanticipated increases in traffic - can cause them to deteriorate prematurately.

Features

ORITE has cooperated with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Federal Highway Administration in addressing several bridge-related issues, including the following:

• Installation of sensors and monitoring of settlement, tilting, and foundation pressures for bridges around the state to evaluate the effectiveness of using spread footings in place of pile foundations.
• Instrumentation of a semi-integral bridge on SR 180 near Logan, Ohio, to determine pressures generated on the abutments caused by thermal expansion of the bridge and to monitor critical stresses within the structure induced by environmental changes and traffic loads.
• Measurement of lateral forces exerted on the wingwalls of a skewed bridge north of Zanesville, Ohio, resulting from thermal expansion of the bridge.
• Investigation of durability of concrete bridges around the state, particularly issues related to long-term corrosion.

Scope

Bridge designers are beginning to explore the use of fiber-reinforced composite materials for use on highway structures. The high strength and corrosion resistance of these materials offer tremendous potential for extending the life of these facilities. ORITE has participated with ODOT in the laboratory testing of composite materials, and instrumenting and monitoring of in-service bridges containing composite components.

Contact Information

For further information please contact:

Dr. Shad Sargand
Asociate Director, ORITE
141 Stocker Center
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593-1465
(740) 593-0625 Fax

Dr. Eric Steinberg
Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering
121 Stocker Center
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593-1465
(740) 593-0625 Fax

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