Influence of Major Beam Damage
on the Redistribution of Internal Forces
in Concrete Road Viaducts
K. Jurasz-Drozdowska and W. Radomski
Abstract This article describes the problem of redistribution of internal forces that
occurred as a result of damage to the bridge structure girders caused by the impact
of an oversized vehicle. In the Sofistik computer program, a three-span five-girder
and seven-girder viaduct was modeled. The structure of damage to the bottom of the
structure as a result of vehicle impact in the middle of the span of the second span
was determined in the object. Static and strength analyzes of the viaduct structure
were carried out, comparing the results obtained for the original condition and the
damaged condition.
Keywords Bridge · Damage to girders · Redistribution of internal forces
1 Introduction
The term redistribution comes from the two Latin words ‘re’—backwards, opposite,
opposite and ‘distributio’—distribution, arrangement. This term can be represented
as a repetition, re-division, decomposition of something. Over the years, bridge structures need modernization and repair. They should be adapted to new communication
conditions, and thus increase their load capacity or extend the usable width of the
road. Any interference resulting from structural and functional modernization is
always associated with a greater or smaller redistribution of internal forces in the
structure.
The phenomenon of internal forces redistribution can have many causes, from the
very beginning of the erection of the object, in the assembly phases, to renovations and
modernizations. Redistribution may also result from improper use of the structure.
Along with the increase in communication in recent years, oversize and oversized
K. Jurasz-Drozdowska (B)
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Opole University of Technology, Opole, Poland
e-mail: k.jurasz-drozdowska@po.edu.pl
W. Radomski
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Z. Zembaty et al. (eds.), Environmental Challenges in Civil
Engineering, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering 122,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63879-5_3
31
on the Redistribution of Internal Forces
in Concrete Road Viaducts
K. Jurasz-Drozdowska and W. Radomski
Abstract This article describes the problem of redistribution of internal forces that
occurred as a result of damage to the bridge structure girders caused by the impact
of an oversized vehicle. In the Sofistik computer program, a three-span five-girder
and seven-girder viaduct was modeled. The structure of damage to the bottom of the
structure as a result of vehicle impact in the middle of the span of the second span
was determined in the object. Static and strength analyzes of the viaduct structure
were carried out, comparing the results obtained for the original condition and the
damaged condition.
Keywords Bridge · Damage to girders · Redistribution of internal forces
1 Introduction
The term redistribution comes from the two Latin words ‘re’—backwards, opposite,
opposite and ‘distributio’—distribution, arrangement. This term can be represented
as a repetition, re-division, decomposition of something. Over the years, bridge structures need modernization and repair. They should be adapted to new communication
conditions, and thus increase their load capacity or extend the usable width of the
road. Any interference resulting from structural and functional modernization is
always associated with a greater or smaller redistribution of internal forces in the
structure.
The phenomenon of internal forces redistribution can have many causes, from the
very beginning of the erection of the object, in the assembly phases, to renovations and
modernizations. Redistribution may also result from improper use of the structure.
Along with the increase in communication in recent years, oversize and oversized
K. Jurasz-Drozdowska (B)
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Opole University of Technology, Opole, Poland
e-mail: k.jurasz-drozdowska@po.edu.pl
W. Radomski
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Z. Zembaty et al. (eds.), Environmental Challenges in Civil
Engineering, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering 122,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63879-5_3
31