This paper describes the research procedure followed to eliminate the end blocks from simply supported washington series 14 and 10 girders. girders in the former series have 5-in. Webs, are over 6 ft deep, and can be up to 140 ft long. The procedure consisted of an ana~lytical study followed by full-scale testing, the monitoring of a girder in a bridge, and implementation of the end blo~m ~ ~meck removal. A finite-element analysis was first made of girders with and without endblocks. This was followed by a~ full test of a 48-ft long, series 14girder manufactured without end blocks. A series 10 girder was manufactured without end blocks and monitored in a bridge under actual service. The findings of this research were implemented by revising the girder standards. This resulted in about a 7 percent saving in the cost of simple span girders. A study is~ under way to see whether the end blocks can be removed from continuous girders. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1180, bridge design and testing.
Samenvatting