ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Segmental concrete bridges with external prestressing and dry joints are associated with a span-by-span construction process that is thought to be the fastest of its type. Its more significant characteristic is the nonexistence of bond reinforcement crossing the joints, neither active nor passive. In these bridges, Ultimate Limit State of bending can be defined in two ways. Eurocode 2 states that ULS is reached when the joints open in more than 2/3 of their height (ULSEC2). Nevertheless, most of the codes define collapse of these bridges when the maximum strain in the concrete attains a value of 0.0035 (ULS-εII). A 2D-FEM study is presented in this paper comparing the structural behaviour when these criteria are applied (Figure 1). The model used in the analysis has been previously validated with six beam shear tests. The most important feature of the FEM model is that it has been calibrated with experimental tests which were specifically designed to fail in shear.
