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Numerical analysis of geosynthetics to mitigate seasonal temperature change-induced problems for integral bridge abutment

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Abstract

Expansion and contraction of bridge decks move integral bridge abutments (IABs) toward and away from the backfill, resulting in high horizontal earth pressures, backfill surface settlements, and abutment toe movements away from the backfill. Geofoam can reduce relative abutment movements to the backfill when the abutment moves toward the backfill due to bridge deck expansion. Geosynthetic reinforcement can improve the stability of the backfill, thus reducing backfill surface settlements when the abutment moves away from the backfill due to bridge deck contraction. Numerical analysis was utilized in this study to investigate mechanisms of geosynthetic reinforcement and geofoam and effects of key parameters, such as the thickness and elastic modulus of geofoam and the length and vertical spacing of geosynthetic reinforcement. Increasing the thickness and/or reducing the elastic modulus of geofoam could reduce maximum horizontal earth pressures in the backfill. However, the effects of geofoam to reduce backfill surface settlements were not significant. In addition, geosynthetic reinforcement reduced surface settlements of the backfill away from the abutment but increased surface settlements of the backfill right behind the abutment. By connecting the front ends of geosynthetic reinforcements with the abutment, settlements of reinforced backfill decreased at the expense of large settlements of unreinforced backfill. Furthermore, geofoam together with geosynthetic reinforcement with wrap-around facing could significantly minimize seasonal temperature change-induced problems for IABs.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) through the GSI fellowship for the first author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering (CEAE) Department, Univ. of Kansas, 1530 W. 15th St., Lawrence, KS, 66045-7609, USA

    Hao Liu, Jie Han & Robert L. Parsons

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  1. Hao Liu
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  2. Jie Han
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  3. Robert L. Parsons
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Correspondence to Jie Han.

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Liu, H., Han, J. & Parsons, R.L. Numerical analysis of geosynthetics to mitigate seasonal temperature change-induced problems for integral bridge abutment. Acta Geotech. 18, 673–693 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-022-01614-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-022-01614-5

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