Experimental and Numerical Cracking Analysis of Precast Concrete Box Girder due to Tension

Abstract

The cracking problem of a precast beam of a highway in North China was investigated, and the field tests were carried out to test the stress in the cracking area during the prestress tensioning process. The distribution state of the main stress of the web and the influence of prestress tensioning on the stress concentration were obtained. A three-dimensional finite element model is also built to simulate the precast box girder, and the variation character of concrete stress with the tensioning procedure is simulated, which is compared with the test results. The results of both test and numerical analysis show that the principal tensile stress in the prestressed anchorage area and the web area near the diaphragm plate exceeds the tensile strength of the concrete. The test and numerical results predicted the correct direction of the observed crack preciously. Suggestions for reduce the principal tensile stress in the anchorage area are proposed.