Serviceability assessments of masonry arch bridges

Wu, Lufang 2010. Serviceability assessments of masonry arch bridges. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.

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Abstract

Masonry arch bridges continue to play an important role in the UK's transport infrastructure, forming a significant proportion of road, rail and waterway crossings. Many of these bridges are relatively old and are still in service in their original configuration. Increasing vehicle loads and speeds have highlighted the need for reliable estimates of both ultimate and serviceability load levels. Most experimental work and assessment methods have so far been carried out under ultimate load. Only limited work has been undertaken to date on serviceability assessment methods, this project therefore aims to develop a systematic method to assess the serviceability load of masonry bridges under a series of different serviceability criteria. A complex spreadsheet was developed as the main analytical tool for the serviceability assessment and was an encastered elastic analysis based on Castigliano's complementary energy method. The geometric data from a large number of real masonry bridges data was gathered and analysed to develop suitable distribution statistics. Three independent serviceability criteria were then developed based on an attempt to replicate, on average, the existing assessment methods. These three criteria are stress, deflection and cracking depth. Finally, a serviceability assessment method system was fully established within the developed spreadsheet.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Engineering
Subjects:	T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
ISBN:	9781303218644
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	19 Mar 2016 23:31
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/55010

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