UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

SLAB BRIDGE - DESIGN EXAMPLE

Assumptions

• Main reinforcements are placed parallel to the center line of road way
• The bottom of the slab is assumed level
• Center to center support is assumed perpendicular to the supports
• Additional amount of concrete thickness for cross fall is not considered for flexural design
Preliminary dimensions:

• Clear span = 7.2 m • Skewness angle = 0˚ 00' 00"

• Width of abutment shelf = 0.5 m • Railing depth = 0.35 m
• Clear width of super structure = 4.2 m • Railing width = 0.25 m
• Total width of super structure = 5 m • Post cross section = 0.25 m * 0.25 m
• No. of lane = 1 • Post height = 0.55 m
• Total length of super structure = 7.2 + • Average post spacing = 1.4 m
0.5 + 0.5 = 8.2 m

1.4 m
0.25 m

Railing
0.35 m
7.2 m
0.5 m
0.5 m
0.55 m
Effective Span = 7.7 m
Post
Longitudinal Elevation

0.4 m
Curb
4.2 m

5m 0.4 m

Cross sectional view Details of Curb, Post and Railing

Materials:

• Concrete: f'c = 30MPa

• Unit weight of concrete = 24 kN/m3
• Steel: For bar size > 20 mm diameter, Grade:60: fyk = 420 MPa
• For bar size <= 20 mm diameter, Grade:40: fyk = 300 MPa

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 UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

• Es = 2 * 105MPa; Ec = 24000 MPa;

• Modulus of rupture = fr = 0.63 f ' c = 3.45 MPa

Depth Determination:

According to AASHTO, Table 2.5.2.6.3.1, minimum recommended depth for the purpose of
deflection control, slab with main reinforcement parallel to the traffic.
1.2(𝑠 + 3000) 1.2(7200 + 3000)
𝑑= 𝑑= = 408 𝑚𝑚
30 30

Normally the slab is made with a uniform depth over the whole bridge. The required design
depth is usually 5.5 - 6 % of the span length, due to the width of the cracks. If stressed
reinforced concrete is used, the design depth shall be reduced to 4.5 % of the span length.

• Consider overall depth of slab = 470 mm.

❖ The provided thickness of slab is not economical as 470 𝑚𝑚 ≫ 408 𝑚𝑚 , but for the
education purpose, lets proceed the problem.
Live loads:
Equivalent width of longitudinal strips per lane for both shear and moment with one lane
Equivalent strip widths for slab bridge: The equivalent width of longitudinal strips per lane for
both shear and moment with one lane, i.e., two lines of wheels, loaded shall be determined as;

𝐸 = 250 + 0.42√𝐿1 𝑊1

L1 = 7700 mm W1 = 5000 mm

𝐸 = 250 + 0.42√7700 ∗ 5000 = 2856 𝑚𝑚 = 2.86 𝑚

Impact factor (Dynamic load allowance): (1 + 𝐼𝑀⁄100) = (1 + 33⁄100) = 1.33

(The factor to be applied to the static load shall be taken as: (1 + 𝑰𝑴⁄100)

Component IM

Deck Joints – All Limit States 75%

All Other Components

• Fatigue and Fracture Limit State 15%

• All Other Limit States
33%

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 UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

Design Truck Load:

Design Tandem
The design tandem used for Strategic Bridges shall consist of a pair of 110 kN axles spaced 1.2 m
apart. The transverse spacing of wheels shall be taken as 1.8 m. A dynamic load allowance shall
be considered as specified in a following subchapter

Design Truck Load:

Front axle load = 35 kN;
35
Load dispersed per m in transverse direction = = 12.24kN/m
2.86

Other axle loads = 145 kN

145
Load dispersed per m in transverse direction = = 50.7 kN/m
2.86
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 UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

Design tandem load:

Axle load = 110 kN; Load dispersed per m in transverse direction = 8.46kN/m
Lane load:

9 .3
Load = 9.3 kN/m; Load dispersed per m in transverse direction = = 3.1kN/m2
3

Shear force calculation:

Loads on span:

50.7 50.7
kN kN
4.3 m
Truck load
38.46
38.46 Tandem load Lane load = 3.1 kN/m2
1.2 m kN
kN

A B

7.7 m
0.8442
1 0.4416

IL for maximum reaction at A

• Maximum shear at A due to truck loads = 50.7 * 1 + 50.7 * 0.4416 = 73.09 kN

• Maximum shear at A due to tandem loads = 38.46 * 1 + 38.46 * 0.8442 = 70.93 kN
• Maximum shear at A due to lane load = 3.1 [½ * 7.7 * 1] = 11.94 kN
Design truck load governs with dynamic load allowance

= (73.09 * 1.33) + 11.94 = 109.15 kN

3.6 Application of Design Vehicular Live Loads

❖ The effects of an axle sequence and the lane load are superimposed in order to obtain
extreme values. Unless otherwise specified, the extreme force effect shall be taken as the larger
of the following:

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 UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

• The effect of the design tandem combined with the effect of the design lane load, or The effect
of one design truck with the variable axle spacing specified in the subchapter Multiple Presence
of Live Load above, combined with the effect of the design lane load, and
• For both negative and positive moment between points of contraflexure under a uniform load
on all spans, and reaction at interior piers only, 90% of the effect of two design trucks spaced
a minimum of 15.0 m between the lead axle of one truck and the rear axle of the other truck,
combined with 90% of the effect of the design lane load. The distance between the 145 kN axles of
each truck shall be taken as 4.3 m

Bending Moment Calculation:

Absolute maximum bending moment due to moving loads is found by placing one of the axles
loads and the resultant of the system at equidistant from the center.
For design truck load:

50.7 kN 50.7 kN

4.3 m

A C D B

2.15 m

0.625 1.075 m
mm R
3.85 m 2.775 m

7.7 m
3.5 Tire Contact Area

The tire contact area of a wheel consisting of one or two tires shall be assumed to be a single
rectangle, whose width is 510 mm & whose length is 250 mm. The design truck or tandem shall
be positioned transversely such that the center of any wheel load is not closer than:

• For the design of the deck overhang - 300 mm from the face of the curb or railing, and
• For the design of all other components - 600 mm from the edge of the design lane.
For this moving load of design truck, absolute maximum bending moment occurs at section D,
for the load position shown.

(4.925 * 2.775)/7.7
= 1.775
0.225

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 UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

ILD For Bending Moment at D

BM at D = 50.7 (1.775 + 0.225) = 101.4 kN m

For Design Tandem Load:

Load position for absolute maximum BM to occur at D, a section 0.3 m from mid span section is shown
below.

Maximum BM at D = 38.46 * (1.9133 + 1.36) = 125.89 kN m

Hence the BM is governed by design tandem load

38.46 kN 38.46
1.2 m kN

A B
C D
2.95 m

R 0.3 m
3.85 m 3.55 m
4.15 m
7.7 m
(4.15 * 3.55)/7.7 = 1.9133
1.36

ILD for BM at D
For Design Lane Load:
Lane load BM is determined at the section of maximum BM, section D, of design tandem
loading
Lane load BM at D = 3.1*(7.7 * 1.9133)/2 = 22.84 kN m
Total maximum BM
Total maximum BM with IM = (125.89*1.33) + 22.84 = 190.27 kN m
Dead Loads
Assume depth of wearing surface = 0.075 m
Weight of wearing surface = 0.075 * 22.5 = 1.6875 kN/m2
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 UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

Weight of deck slab = 0.47 * 24 = 11.28 kN/m2

Weight of railing, post and curb = [ {(0.35 * 0.25 * 24) + 0.7143 * (0.25 * 0.25 * 0.55 * 24) + (0.4
* 0.4 * 24)} * 2] ÷ 5 = 2.6 kN/m2
Total weight of components DC = 11.28 + 2.6 = 13.88 kN/m2
Maximum shear due to DC = VDC = 13.88 [½ * 7.7 * 1] = 53.44 kN/m width
Maximum Shear due to DW = VDW = 1.6875 [½ * 7.7 * 1] = 6.5 kN/m width
Maximum bending moment due to DC at the section of maximum LL BM

13.88 kN/m

4.15 m 3.55 m

4.15 * 3.55 / 7.7 = 1.9133

BM at the section D due to the load DC = = 13.88 [½ * 7.7 * 1.9133] = 102.24 kNm

Maximum BM due to DW at the section of maximum LL BM = = 1.6875 [½ * 7.7 * 1.9133] = 12.43

kNm

Design load combination for strength I limit state

Q = ηiγiQi

Consider the design to be of conventional one, non-redundant and typical bridge, for these assumptions,

ηD = 1.00 ηR = 1.05 ηI = 1.00

Factored resistant moment, Mu = 1.05[1.25 MDC + 1.5MDW + 1.75MLL+IM]

= 1.05[1.25 (102.24) + 1.5(12.43) + 1.75(190.27)] = 479.4 kNm

3.12 Load Factors and Combinations

General

The total factored force effect: Q = ii Qi

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 UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

where:

i= load modifier (a factor relating to ductility, redundancy and operational importance)

Qi = force effects from loads specified herein

i = load factors …………….ch3 p18

As per ERA bridge design manual LRF design procedure, factored resistant moment Mu = фMn
Where, Mn = Nominal resistant moment,
Ф = Resistance factor
Mn = Mu/ф, has to be used in the equation for steel ratio ρ
Steel ratio ρ can be written as,

2𝑀 𝑓′ 2∗479.4∗106 30
ρ =[1 − √1 − ∅𝑏𝑑2𝑢𝑓′ ] 𝑓𝑐 =[1 − √1 − 0.9∗1000∗4332∗30] 420 = 0.00712
𝑐 𝑦

ρmin = 0.03 * (30/420) = 0.00241 <0.00712…………=0.03 fcd/fyd………spec pg5

As = 0.00712 * 1000 * 433 = 3082.96 mm2
𝜋∗122 ∗1000
Spacing of 24 mm diameter rods = = 146.74 mm………..as1000/AS
3082.96

Provide 24 mm diameter rods at 140 mm c/c as main flexural reinforcement along the span.

 * (12) 2 *1000
As Provided = = 3231mm 2
140
Distribution of Main Reinforcement to Resist Against Cracking:
Concrete is considered cracked if tensile stress in concrete >= 80% of the modulus of rupture
fr = Modulus of rupture = 3.45 MPa (as determined in the earlier steps)
Service load moment Mu = 1.05[1.00(102.24 ) + 1.00(12.43 ) + 1.00(190.27)] = 320.187 kNm
320.187∗106
fct = tensile stress in concrete = M/Z = 1000∗4702 /6 = 8.69 MPa

0.8fr = 0.8 * 3.45 = 2.76; fct> 0.8fr Therefore the section has to be taken as a cracked section

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 UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

Steel stress: To find the steel stress, for cracked section, consider the equivalent transformed
section of concrete.
Modular ratio = m = Es/Ec = 2 * 105/24000 = 8.33; mAs = 8.33 * 3231 = 26914.23 mm2
x can be determined by taking moments of areas above and below NA
1000 * x * x/2 = 26914.23 (433 – x)
It can be reduced to a quadratic equation,
x2 + 53.8x – 23307.7 = 0 X = 128.12 mm
Moment of inertia I = 1/3(1000 * 128.123) + 26914.23 (433 – 128.12)2 = 3.2 * 109 mm4
320.187∗106 ∗(433−128.12)
fs/m = My/I = = 30.5; fs = 8.33 * 30.5 = 254.11 MPa
3.2∗109

𝑍
fsa = Where Z = 30,000 for moderate exposure; dc = 25 + 24/2 = 37 mm
(𝑑𝑐 𝐴)1/3

A = 2dcS/1 = 2 * 37 * 140/1 = 10360 mm2

30000 𝑍
fsa = [37(10360)]1/3 = 412.98 MPa But fsa = (𝑑 0.6 fy; 0.6(420) = 252 MPa
𝑐 𝐴)1/3

fs>fsa Hence the provision of spacing of main reinforcement is not safe against cracking.
The spacing of reinforcement shall be adjusted to satisfy the above criterion
Distributor Reinforcement
For primary reinforcement parallel to traffic, % of main reinforcement as distributor
reinforcement =
1750/ s  50%

Where S = Span length = 7.7m = 7700 mm

1750/ 7700 = 20%

20% of main reinforcement = (20/100)*3231 = 646.2 mm2
𝜋(82 )1000
Spacing of 16 mm dia rods = = 311.15 mm
646.2

Provide 16 mm diameter rods at 300 mm c/c as distribution reinforcement

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 UNIVERSITY OF GONDAR
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

Temperature and Shrinkage Reinforcement

Temperature and shrinkage reinforcement As  0.75 Ag/fy

As = 0.75 * 1000*470/420 = 839.3 mm2 for both direction
For top layer alone: As = 839.3/2 = 419.6 mm2
𝜋(62 )1000
Spacing of 12 mm dia rods = = 269.5 mm
419.6

Provide 12 mm dia rods at 260 mm C/C in both directions at the top as temperature and
shrinkage reinforcements.

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