Strengthening of Existing Inverted-T Bent Caps: Design Recommendations and Examples

Inverted-T bent caps have been widely used in Texas to reduce the overall elevation of bridges, to improve the available clearance beneath the beams, and to improve aesthetics. Since bridge design criteria have been improved and modified over the decades, many of the early inverted-T bent caps are deficient when evaluated against the current design approach and/or lack adequate strength to support planned increases to live load demands. Therefore, techniques for strengthening these bent caps are needed. In this volume, the recommendations for identifying deficiencies of in-service bent caps are addressed along with the recommendations for selecting retrofit solutions to use. Based on the observations of the tests described in Volume 2, design procedures for six solutions are provided: end-region stiffener, clamped threadbar with channel, load-balancing post-tensioning, concrete infill with partial- and full-depth fiber reinforced polymer anchored by steel waling for the bent, and large bearing pad. Step-by-step procedures for each solution and design examples of each solution for the bent caps described are provided.

Hurlebaus, S., Mander, J. B., Birely, A. C., Terzioglu, T., Cui, J., & Park, S. H.

Hurlebaus, Stefan||Mander, John B||Birely, Anna C||Terzioglu, Tevfik||Cui, Jilong||Park, Sun Hee

Strengthening of Existing Inverted-T Bent Caps: Design Recommendations and Examples Report