The Approach Slab Experiment - Design and Set up of the Experiment

Abstract

The paper deals with experimental program concerning transition zone of road bridges with the use of approach slab. The experimental setup was constructed in the laboratory of the Slovak university of technology in the scale 1:2.The main function of the approach slab is to ease the transition from stiff foundation of the abutment to an embankment with much less stiffness. As a part of the transition zone, the slab helps to overcome different stiffness of the foundations. Good design of the approach slab and also the transition zone improves the transit of vehicle and enhances the comfort of the vehicle driver.Main goal of the experimental program is to observe the change of the structural scheme of the approach slab throughout the time via bedding stresses under the slab supported by the gravel soil, and also via the supporting forces in the connection to the abutment. The deflection of the slab is observed to confirm the slab behaviour. The possibility to observe all necessary variables with the option to adjust the height of the slab connection is provided by special construction modifications of slab to abutment joint.Due to the fact, that leading variable loading of the approach slab is traffic, loading of the specimen will be cyclic. This loading type causes dynamic response not only of the approach slab, but also of the experimental setup. Part of the experimental setup design is preliminary numerical, time depended analysis of the experiment. On the basis of results of the preliminary analysis the strain of members of experimental setup was checked to maintain the safety of the experiment during whole time. The analysis also shows predicted behaviour and strain of the approach slab, etc.

Joint-free Bridges With High Performance Materials

“…Although approach slabs are not a new concept for bridge designers, there is little published literature available on their performance and behaviour. Only recently were experimental studies conducted on approach slabs of varying dimensions to determine structural behaviour under traffic load and adverse soil conditions (Chen, 2013;Laco & Borzovič, 2017).…”

Experiments on Fiber Concrete Foundation Slabs in Interaction with the Subsoil

“…Previous studies also explore the use of fiber concrete slabs on the ground [29,30]. The design of a foundation slab requires not only its load capacity in bending but also its shear resistance and specific punching [31][32][33] or deformations [34].…”

Calculation of Resistance and Non-Linear Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Beams

“…Loading experiments of structural elements lead to the verification of theoretical relations and results of the numerical modelling, e.g. in research field of shear [5] / punching resistance [6], [7], [8] or soil-structure interaction [9], and constitutive models [10]. Fracture mechanics [11] and performance-based design [12] are used increasingly for concrete numerical modelling.…”