Pérez-Gracia, Ricardo

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    Analysis and load rating of Reinforced Concrete Box Culverts (RCBC) without plans using reinforcement index to estimate their steel reinforcements
    (2017) Pérez-Gracia, Ricardo; Wendichansky-Bard, Daniel A.; College of Engineering; Aponte-Bermúdez, Luis D.; Ruiz-Mateo, Edgardo; Virella-Crespo, Juan C.; Department of Civil Engineering; Orama-Exclusa, Lionel R.
    This study considers the analysis and load rating of reinforced concrete box culverts (RCBC) without structural plans using an inferred procedure based on the reinforcement index to estimate the type and location of the steel reinforcement. Existing reinforcement index parameter curves were developed by Virella and Wendichansky (2012) for a group of reinforced concrete box culverts built between 1946 and 1959. All of them have similar clear spans, clear height, and soil fills over the top slab be from 0ft to 5ft. The reinforcement index parameter curves were used to estimate typical steel reinforcements for structural elements of RCBC. The main objective of this study is to recommend a methodology which provides a reliable estimate for the load rating (LR) of reinforced concrete box culverts (RCBC). The general objectives of this project are the following. 1) Validate a methodology to perform Load Rating of reinforced concrete box culvert (RCBC) based on reinforcement index. 2) Demonstrate the accuracy of the Reinforcement Index Parameter for Steel Reinforcement Estimation (RIPSRE) methodology approach. 3) Compute and compare the LR based on the Reinforcement Index parameter for steel reinforcement method (RIPSRE) with a proof load test (PLT). The first stage compared the typical steel reinforcements and load rating of 8 RCBC previously rated with structural plans with the inferred methodology proposed by Virella and Wendichansky (2012), (RIPSRE). The second stage compared load rating of 7 RCBC load rated by proof load test with the RIPSRE methodology. The RIPSRE methodology provides their curves to estimate steel reinforcement based on clear span length of the RCBC: a) Upper Bound Curve; b) Average Bound Curve; c) Lower Bound Curve. This study found that ratings for RCBC for which the steel reinforcement was estimated by using the lower bound curve, provide closer agreement with ratings from RCBC with structural drawings. In some cases, the use of the lower bound curve results in over conservative results, however, some guidelines are provided in this study for the estimation of the steel reinforcement for RCBC with no structural drawings, built on Puerto Rico from 1940’s to 1980’s.