2023 Volume 79 Issue 6 Article ID: 22-00329
When high-strength bolted flush end-plate connections are applied to the main girder joints of bridges, horizontal stiffeners must be installed in order to obtain the required joint strength and stiffness. However, the mechanism by which the girder and horizontal stiffener specifications contribute to the increase in joint strength and stiffness has not been clarified in detail. In this study, parametric analysis was carried out by varying the main girder parameters and the horizontal stiffener thickness to investigate the effect of these parameters on the strength and stiffness of the joint. The analysis showed that the increase in joint stiffness was greater for girders with horizontal stiffeners of the same thickness, where the second moment of section of the girder considering the horizontal stiffeners was larger. It was also found that a girder with a small flange cross-sectional area and a large web cross-sectional area was more advantageous for obtaining a large joint strength. Finally, a method for calculating the horizontal stiffener thickness to ensure the stiffness of the main member is proposed.
