Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Committee Chair

Samir N. Shoukry.

Abstract

This thesis is based upon the instrumentation of an integral abutment bridge, with a reinforced concrete deck on 3-span, continuous steel girders. The bridge is located in Evansville, West Virginia, at the intersection of WV Route 92 South and US Route 50 East. An instrumentation system was developed to measure the performance of the bridge, including a system of 30 crack meters installed in the deck to detect cracks, strain gages on the girders and embedded in the deck, whose readings can be utilized to determine the degree of composite action of the deck and girders, and sister bars to measure strains in the reinforcement, which can be used to determine the status of the bonding between the reinforcement steel and the concrete deck. Sensor data is collected every 20 minutes and saved. In addition to the data mentioned above, the sensor system also measures the temperature gradient through the deck, the length of the spans, the inclination of the abutments, and girders, and the temperature at each sensor location. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

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