Abstract:
Reinforced concrete is being used in most of construction activities. Present days the problem
faced by the construction industry is acute shortage of raw materials. In a simply supported
reinforced concrete Slab Bridges, whenever subjected to gravity loadings the stresses in the cross
section below neutral axis are tension and that above neutral axis is compression. Realizing
concrete is weak in taking tension; steel reinforcements are provided in the tension zone. The
concrete below the neutral axis; act as a stress transfer medium between the compression and
tension zone.
Moreover, the self-weight stresses are estimated to be 60% of the total loading stresses in
Bridges in general and in slab Bridges in particular. Partial replacement of the concrete below the
neutral axis can create reduction in weight and savings in materials.
This research investigates the effect of partial replacement of concrete below the neutral axis of
simple supported slab bridge with PVC pipe by using ANSYS non-linear finite element software.
Four RC slab bridge specimens with identical cross section width and varying depth and length
with PVC pipes and without PVC pipes are used. In this research, four (4) slab bridges with
different spans, Diameters and spacing of PVC pipe were studied. Four (4) solid Slab bridges
specimen were used for serving as the control for each of slab bridges and sixteen (16)
specimens are hollow with different diameter of PVC pipe for each span, loading condition and
with and without rib reinforcement arrangement of the slab bridge in ANSYS software.
During this study, extensive number of modeling is conducted by inclusive of different
parameters such as span length, diameter of PVC pipes, spacing of PVC pipe and with and
without rib reinforcement to study structural behavior of RC Slab Bridge.
Results of this research work indicate, the effect of hollow core Slab Bridge on elastic strain
value decrease as the span length increase, as the Diameter and spacing between PVC pipe
increase the effects on the structure is decrease since the corresponding self-weight on the
structure is decreased. This study has shown that the replacement of concrete below the neutral
axis of Slab Bridge with PVC pipe shows a positive result in reducing the dead load without
affecting the strength of the structure.
Keywords: (reinforced concrete, hollow core, Slabs Bridge, finite elements)