ASTU School of Civil and Architectural Eng.(Civil Eng.

Department)

Slab Bridge - Design Example

Assumptions

• Main reinforcements are placed parallel to the center line of road way
• The bottom of the slab is assumed level
• Center to center support is assumed perpendicular to the supports
• Additional amount of concrete thickness for cross fall is not considered for flexural design

Preliminary dimensions:

• Clear span = 7.2 m • Skewness angle = 0˚ 00' 00"

• Width of abutment shelf = 0.5 m • Railing depth = 0.35 m
• Clear width of super structure = 4.2 m • Railing width = 0.25 m
• Total width of super structure = 5 m • Post cross section = 0.25 m * 0.25 m
• No. of lane = 1 • Post height = 0.55 m
• Total length of super structure = 7.2 + 0.5 • Average post spacing = 1.4 m
+ 0.5 = 8.2 m

1.4 m
0.25 m

Railing
0.35 m
7.2 m
0.5 m
0.5 m
0.55 m
Effective Span = 7.7 m
Post
Longitudinal Elevation

Curb 0.4 m

4.2 m

5m 0.4 m

Cross sectional view Details of Curb, Post and Railing

Materials:

• Concrete: f'c = 30 MPa • Modulus of rupture = fr = 0.63 f ' c =

• Unit weight of concrete = 24 kN/m3 3.45 MPa
• Steel: For bar size > 20 mm
diameter,Grade:60: fyk = 420 MPa …..............specification
• For bar size <= 20 mm diameter,
Grade:40: fyk = 300 MPa
• Es = 2 * 105 MPa; Ec = 24000 MPa;

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Fundamentals of Bridge Design – CEng 5121 Prepared by: Chimdi G (Msc)
ASTU School of Civil and Architectural Eng.(Civil Eng. Department)

Preliminary thickness of slab:

Depth of slab = 6% of the span length = (6/100)* 7700 = 462 mm (Normally the slab is made with a
uniform depth over the whole bridge. The required design depth is usually 5.5 - 6 % of the span
length, due to the width of the cracks. If stressed reinforced concrete is used, the design depth shall be
reduced to 4.5 % of the span length.) ………..specification

• Consider overall depth of slab = 470 mm

Live loads:

Equivalent width of longitudinal strips per lane for both shear and moment with one lane

E1 = 250 + 0.42 √L1W1 L1 = 7700 mm W1 = 5000 mm

E1 = 250 + 0.42 √7700 * 5000 = 2856 mm = 2.86 m (Equivalent strip widths for slab bridge: The
equivalent width of longitudinal strips per lane for both shear and moment with one lane, i.e., two lines of
wheels, loaded shall be determined as: ……………….. specification

E = 250 + 0.42 L1W 1

Impact factor (Dynamic load allowance): (1 + IM/100) = (1 + 33/100) = 1.33

(The factor to be applied to the static load shall be taken as: (1 + IM/100). The dynamic load allowance
shall not be applied to pedestrian loads or to the design lane load.)

Component IM

Deck Joints – All Limit States 75%

All Other Components

• Fatigue and Fracture Limit 15%

State
• All Other Limit States 33%

Design truck load:

35
Front axle load = 35 kN; Load dispersed per m in transverse direction = = 12.24 kN/m
2.86

145
Other axle loads = 145 kN Load dispersed per m in transverse direction = = 50.7 kN/m
2.86

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Fundamentals of Bridge Design – CEng 5121 Prepared by: Chimdi G (Msc)
ASTU School of Civil and Architectural Eng.(Civil Eng. Department)

Design tandem load: Axle load = 110 kN;

Load dispersed per m in transverse direction = 38.46kN/m

Lane load:

9.3
Load = 9.3 kN/m; Load dispersed per m in transverse direction = = 3.1 kN/m2
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Shear force calculation:

Loads on span:
50.7 kN 50.7 kN

4.3 m
Truck load
38.46 kN
38.46 kN Tandem load
1.2 m Lane load = 3.1 kN/m2

A B

7.7 m
0.8442
1 0.4416

IL for maximum reaction at A

Maximum shear at A due to truck loads = 50.7 * 1 + 50.7 * 0.4416 = 73.09 kN

Maximum shear at A due to tandem loads = 38.46 * 1 + 38.46 * 0.8442 = 70.93 kN

Maximum shear at A due to lane load = 3.1 [½ * 7.7 * 1] = 11.94 kN

Design truck load governs. With dynamic load allowance = (73.09 * 1.33) + 11.94 = 109.15 kN

APPLICATION OF DESIGN VEHICULAR LIVE LOADS

The effects of an axle sequence and the lane load are superimposed in order to obtain extreme
values. Unless otherwise specified, the extreme force effect shall be taken as the larger of the
following:
• The effect of the design tandem combined with the effect of the design lane load, or The effect of one
design truck with the variable axle spacing combined with the effect of the design lane load,
• For both negative and positive moment between points of contraflexure under a uniform load on all
spans, and reaction at interior piers only, 90% of the effect of two design trucks spaced a minimum of
15.0 m between the lead axle of one truck and the rear axle of the other truck, combined with 90% of
the effect of the design lane load. The distance between the 145 kN axles of each truck shall be taken
as 4.3 m.

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Fundamentals of Bridge Design – CEng 5121 Prepared by: Chimdi G (Msc)
ASTU School of Civil and Architectural Eng.(Civil Eng. Department)

Bending moment calculation:

Absolute maximum bending moment due to moving loads is found by placing one of the axle
loads and the resultant of the system at equidistant from the center.

For design truck load:

50.7 kN 50.7 kN
4.3 m

A C D B

2.15 m

0.625 m 1.075 m
m R
3.85 m 2.775 m

7.7 m
TIRE CONTACT AREA
The tire contact area of a wheel consisting of one or two tires shall be assumed to be a single rectangle,
whose width is 50 mm

The design truck or tandem shall be positioned transversely such that the center of any wheel load is not
closer than:

• For the design of the deck overhang - 300 mm from the face of the curb or railing, and
• For the design of all other components - 600 mm from the edge of the design lane

For this moving load of design truck, absolute maximum bending moment occurs at section D,
for the load position shown . (4.925 * 2.775)/7.7
= 1.775
0.225

ILD for bending moment at D

BM at D = 50.7 (1.775 + 0.225) = 101.4 kN m

For Design Tandem Load:

Load position for absolute maximum BM to occur at D, a section 0.3 m from mid span section is
shown below.

Maximum BM at D = 38.46 * (1.9133 + 1.36) = 125.89 kN m

Hence the BM is governed by design tandem load

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Fundamentals of Bridge Design – CEng 5121 Prepared by: Chimdi G (Msc)
ASTU School of Civil and Architectural Eng.(Civil Eng. Department)

38.46 kN 38.46 kN
1.2 m

A B
C D
2.95 m

R 0.3 m
3.85 m 3.55 m
4.15 m
7.7 m

(4.15 * 3.55)/7.7 = 1.9133

1.36

ILD for BM at D

For Design Lane Load:

Lane load BM is determined at the section of maximum BM, section D, of design tandem loading

Lane load BM at D = 3.1*(7.7 * 1.9133)/2 = 22.84 kN m

Total maximum BM

Total maximum BM with IM = (125.89*1.33) + 22.84 = 190.27 kN m

Dead Loads

Assume depth of wearing surface = 0.075 m

Weight of wearing surface = 0.075 * 22.5 = 1.6875 kN/m2

Weight of deck slab = 0.47 * 24 = 11.28 kN/m2

Weight of railing, post and curb

=[ { (0.35 * 0.25 * 24) + 0.7143 * (0.25 * 0.25 * 0.55 * 24) + (0.4 * 0.4 * 24)} * 2] ÷ 5

= 2.6 kN/m2

Total weight of components DC = 11.28 + 2.6 = 13.88 kN/m2

Maximum shear due to DC = VDC = 13.88 [½ * 7.7 * 1] = 53.44 kN/m width

Maximum Shear due to DW = VDW = 1.6875 [½ * 7.7 * 1] = 6.5 kN/m width

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Fundamentals of Bridge Design – CEng 5121 Prepared by: Chimdi G (Msc)
ASTU School of Civil and Architectural Eng.(Civil Eng. Department)

Maximum bending moment due to DC at the section of maximum LL BM

13.88 kN/m

4.15 m 3.55 m

4.15 * 3.55 / 7.7 = 1.9133

BM at the section D due to the load DC = 13.88 [½ * 7.7 * 1.9133] = 102.24 kNm

Maximum BM due to DW at the section of maximum LL BM = 1.6875 [½ * 7.7 * 1.9133] = 12.43kNm

Design load combination for strength I limit state

Q = ηiγiQi

Consider the design to be of conventional one, non-redundant and typical bridge, for these assumptions,

ηD = 1.00 ηR = 1.05 ηI = 1.00

Factored resistant moment Mu = 1.05[1.25 MDC + 1.5MDW + 1.75MLL+IM]

= 1.05[1.25 (102.24) + 1.5(12.43) + 1.75(190.27)] = 479.4 kNm

Ф =0.9 Resistance factor and Steel ratio ρ can be written as,

2𝑀 𝑓′ 2∗479.4∗106 30
ρ =[1 − √1 − ∅𝑏𝑑2𝑢𝑓′ ] 𝑓𝑐 = [1 − √1 − 0.9∗1000∗4332 ∗30] 420 = 0.00712
𝑐 𝑦

ρmin = 0.03 * (30/420) = 0.00241 < 0.00712……………specification

As = 0.00712 * 1000 * 433 = 3082.96 mm2

𝜋∗122 ∗1000
Spacing of 24 mm diameter rods = = 146.74 mm………..as1000/AS
3082.96

Provide 24 mm diameter rods at 140 mm c/c as main flexural reinforcement along the span.

 * (12) 2 * 1000
As provided = = 3231mm 2
140

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Fundamentals of Bridge Design – CEng 5121 Prepared by: Chimdi G (Msc)
ASTU School of Civil and Architectural Eng.(Civil Eng. Department)

Distribution of main reinforcement to resist against cracking:

Concrete is considered cracked if tensile stress in concrete >= 80% of the modulus of rupture

fr = Modulus of rupture = 3.45 MPa (as determined in the earlier steps)

Service load moment Mu = 1.05[1.00(102.24 ) + 1.00(12.43 ) + 1.00(190.27)] = 320.187 kNm

320.187∗106
fct = tensile stress in concrete = M/Z = 1000∗4702 /6 = 8.69 MPa

0.8fr = 0.8 * 3.45 = 2.76; fct > 0.8fr Therefore the section has to be taken as a cracked section

Steel stress: To find the steel stress, for cracked section, consider the equivalent transformed section of
concrete.

Modular ratio = m = Es/Ec = 2 * 105/24000 = 8.33; mAs = 8.33 * 3231 = 26914.23 mm2

x can be determined by taking moments of areas above and below NA

1000 * x * x/2 = 26914.23 (433 – x)

It can be reduced to a quadratic equation,

x2 + 53.8x – 23307.7 = 0 X = 128.12 mm

Moment of inertia I = 1/3(1000 * 128.123) + 26914.23 (433 – 128.12)2 = 3.2 * 109 mm4
320.187∗106 ∗(433−128.12)
fs/m = My/I = 3.2∗109
= 30.5; fs = 8.33 * 30.5 = 254.11 MPa

𝑍
fsa = (𝑑𝑐 𝐴)1/3
Where Z = 30,000 for moderate exposure; dc = 25 + 24/2 = 37 mm

A = 2dcS/1 = 2 * 37 * 140/1 = 10360 mm2

30000 𝑍
fsa = = 412.98 MPa But fsa =  0.6 fy ; 0.6(420) = 252 MPa
[37(10360)]1/3 (𝑑𝑐 𝐴)1/3

fs > fsa Hence the provision of spacing of main reinforcement is not safe against cracking.

The spacing of reinforcement shall be adjusted to satisfy the above criterion

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Fundamentals of Bridge Design – CEng 5121 Prepared by: Chimdi G (Msc)
ASTU School of Civil and Architectural Eng.(Civil Eng. Department)

Distributor reinforcement

For primary reinforcement parallel to traffic, % of main reinforcement as distributor reinforcement =

1750 / s  50%
Where S = Span length = 7.7m = 7700 mm

1750 / 7700 = 20%

20% of main reinforcement = (20/100)*3231 = 646.2 mm2
𝜋(82 )1000
Spacing of 16 mm dia rods = 646.2
= 311.15 mm

Provide 16 mm diameter rods at 300 mm c/c as distribution reinforcement

Temperature and shrinkage reinforcement

Temperature and shrinkage reinforcement As  0.75 Ag/fy

As = 0.75 * 1000*470/420 = 839.3 mm2 for both direction

For top layer alone: As = 839.3/2 = 419.6 mm2

𝜋(62 )1000
Spacing of 12 mm dia rods = 419.6
= 269.5 mm

Provide 12mm dia rods at 260 mm C/C in both directions at the top as temperature and shrinkage
reinforcements.

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Fundamentals of Bridge Design – CEng 5121 Prepared by: Chimdi G (Msc)