Analysis of modern approaches to the design and construction of arch bridges using tube-reinforced concrete

Abstract

This article is a part of the author’s dissertation research. The paper discusses experience of application of tube-reinforced concrete structures in bridge construction on the example of facilities built over the last 30 years in the People’s Republic of China. The peculiarities of the bridge construction over the Xun River in Pingnan County, Guangxi Province, with a record span are considered. The author has made a review of outstanding facilities built with the use of long span braced arches made of tube-reinforced concrete elements working mainly in off-centre compression. Various tube-reinforced concrete arch bridge spans erection techniques, advantages and disadvantages of each method are considered. The technology of tube concrete coating, designs and construction methods of facilities with the use of long span solid cross-section arches with a tie for the bridge constructions of medium and large spans are analysed in detail. The review of modern research works in the field of bending arches operation is carried out, in comparison with the model assuming the operation of the tube-reinforced concrete element as an off-centre compressed column is made, which in the future can provide more effective use of material properties in design. Modern approaches to the tube-reinforced concrete elements study are considered. It is concluded that there is a large amount of research on the work of tube-reinforced concrete in off-centre compression with insufficient experimental data on the work of arch tube-reinforced concrete structures working in bending. It is of interest to study the possibility of tube-reinforced concrete application for small spans in the bridge construction. The author has established the prospect of using tube-reinforced concrete structures for arch spans in the construction of small soil-backfilled bridges, which is especially important in areas remote from the construction industry with a poorly developed network of motorways. The necessity of carrying out the bending tube-reinforced concrete structures research works for realisation of this purpose is revealed.