Finite element investigation of the biaxial tests of the SCSC-Plate as the deck plate of a trough bridge

Abstract

For the SCSC (Steel-Concrete-Steel-Composite) Plate (1) as a trough bridge deck plate, the urgent question is which mechanisms are responsible for its load-bearing capacity. Previous research has shown that the shear force transfer between the deck plate and the bottom plate in the case of a slab bridge can be described by a truss model in the concrete core (2). In the case of a trough bridge, the slab is subjected to significant tensile forces in the longitudinal direction of the bridge, which causes cracks in the concrete and calls into question the load-bearing capacity in the transverse direction.

Biaxial tests are carried out on this topic at the Technische Universität Wien Institute of Structural Engineering - Research Unit Steel Structures. The results of these experiments are supported by finite element analysis. The main objective of this work is to investigate how these shear forces behave under the tension from the main load-bearing behaviour and what happens to the test specimen under this biaxial force action.

In this study, the focus is on the finite element modelling of three different specimens and the comparison of the computational results with the experimental results. The experiments are modelled using the Explicit module of Dassault Systèmes’ ABAQUS finite element software (ABAQUS/CAE 2024). The main modelling inputs, techniques, and results for each specimen at different loading levels are presented. The effects of the tensile forces on the shear capacity of the SCSC-Plate are analysed in detail.