APPLICABILITY OF ELASTIC COMPOSITE THEORY TO EVALUATE THE COMPOSITE BEHAVIOR OF GIRDERS AND ORTHOTROPIC STEEL DECK WITH DISCRETELY INSTALLED JOINT MEMBERS IN GIRDER WEB

Abstract

This paper investigates the applicability of elastic composite theory for the proposed deck replacement structure, in which existing steel girders and orthotropic steel decks are connected by Shear Force Transferring Members (SFTMs) installed between girder webs and longitudinal ribs discretely in longitudinal direction. Finite element analysis of a girder subjected to 3-point bending clarified that strain distribution in cross-sections were disturbed by SFTMs, leading to fluctuation in upper flange stress and neutral axis. However, the macro behavior such as axial force or the degree of composite deviated little between the numerical and theoretical analysis. It indicates the applicability of the theory to the proposed structure.