NEW METHOD OF FIELD WELDING STEEL BOX GIRDER BRIDGES

YOJI KUMAGAI, Senior Engineer, Bridge Designing Section,

Steel Structures Department, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.,
(Yokohama Dockyard &Machinery Works)
YASUYUKI WATANABE, Chief Engineer, Bridge Designing Section,
Steel Structures Department, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.,
(Yokohama Dockyard & Machinery Works)

ABSTRACT

The t r ansvers joints of the box- girders with steel - deck- plates are joined with the three connec-
tion methods of 1) Bolted Connection , 2) Welding Connection and 3) Bolted and Welding Connection .
The work procedure of Bolted and Welding Connection is as follows ;
1st- Step: All bolts in the lower flange and the bolts in the second- third of the lower part of
web ar e tightened .
2nd- Step : The deck is welded .
3rd- Step : The bolts in the f irst - third of the upper part of web are tightened .
This method is superior not only to Bolted Connection in water r esistance and f latness of the
asphalt pavement but also to Welding Connection asregards protection fr om deformation by welding .
This method, however, causes r esidual stress and angular deformation around the joints , so it be -
comes very difficult to keep the alignment to the designed shape . In order to amend these de f ects ,
we propose a new connecting method for the joints of the box girder with steel - deck - plate bridge .
This involves welding the joints of the deck - plate , and then tightening the web and the lower
flange by bolts . We proved through experiment that this new method is applicable to the erection
of the br idges .

INTRODUCTION results are reported in su osequ ent

paragraphs.

1. For field joints between segments

of oox girders with steel-deck-plate,
welding connection is preferable to the THE WORKING PROCEDURE OF IMPROVED
bolted connection in the water resistance CONNECTION METHOD
and flatness of the asphalt pavement. On
the other hand, welding connection has some
defects on the welding distorsion ano
residual stress of the joints and welding 2. There are, at present, the
cracks may result. In practice with each following three types of connection method
welded joint, we take great care for for the joints normal to bridge axes:
controlling distorsion and residual stress
of the joints. A test plan was formulateo (a) All welding connection type; METHOD (A)
in an attempt to find a better method while
reviewing the methods currently in practice, (b) The method wherein the joint section of
and model experiments were conducted. The the steel-deck-plate is welded and the

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The content of this paper 1s a summary of the r es ults of an interna l study
conducted at the Yokohama laboratory, Mitsubishi Heavy Industry Limited in June 1983. The
author would like to express this appreciat1on to Mr. Hisao Ka tsuno, Chie f Bridge Design Section
and Mr. Shinichi Matsuda, Manager of Steel Structure De pt., MHI.

13th ARRB/5th REAAA, 1986 59

 KUMUGAI, WATANABE- BOX GIRDER BRIDGES

web and lower flange are tightened by splice spaced in accordance with the
high tensile strength bolts; METHOD (B) estimated value of the shrinkage at the
(MAENO, SATO and MIYAKE 1983) design stage. The procedure of the new
method is as follows:
(c) The method of jo i ning by all bolted
connection with nigh tensile strength
bolts ; ME THOD (C)
Segments of the oox girders are usu ally
placed on the falsework in each methoo.

3. According to the work step

procedures of method (B) which is generally
in practice currently in Japan, firstly all
high tensi l e str ength bolts of the lower
two-thirds range of the web and the lower
f l ange of the oo x girder are tightened, then
Teflon plate
the field welding of the steel-deck-plate is
performed, and l ast ly the high tensile
strength bolts of the upper one-third range 9 (Value of shrinkage in welding)
-I-
of the web and of the stiffners attac hed to
the upper flange are tightened. Strongbacks Long Ri b
.JI (A side hole)
aligning the groove of the we l d are left in - ____ 1
'------ f--'-
place. (B side hole) Strongbacks

4. The advantages of this method are

Flange strongback detailed view
that since a greater number of bolts are
tightened before we ldin g, the s ituation
where tightening bo lt s becomes impossible
due to distortion by welding can be avoided,
I
o JI
_____
'' ..
!I
and that since bolts of tn e upper one-third I.-----
range of the web where the effect of ll
transverse si1rinkage in welding is ser ious
are tightened after welding, large residual
restrained stress is not generated in the II
butt weld .
5. On the other hand, this method nas
such disadvantages tnat since the transverse
shrinkage in welding of the steel-deck-plate
is restra ined oy tne hiyh tensile strength
lJ Web strongback detailed view

bolt groups at the lower f lan ge and under
part of the web, angular distort ion occurs
around the joint of the girder at the time
of the completion of welding, nence creatin g
vertical displacement at the box girder. In
order to keep alignment to tne designed
shape, the box girder shou ld be cambered in
fabrication . However, it is difficult to
calculate the value of the camber, and in
addition, it is rather difficu lt to bring
the shape of the bridge at the time of the
shop assemb ly into complete agreement with
that at the last stage of the erection
because of the difference in the value of
the camber between the box girder and other
members, i.e., lateral members, diagonal
members, cross members, etc.
6. The au thor propo se s a new
connection method as foll ows wher ein trte
field welding of the steel-deck-plate is
performed before t ignten ing the nign tensile
strength bolts to avoid demerits as
described above. This method aims at
preventing angular distortion in welding
wh ile allowing transverse s hrinkage in
weld i ng at tne j oint. Fig. 1 is an out I ine
drawing of the block arrangement, support
cond iti ons , ana strongbacK (Jigs for tne
distortion in welding) according to the new
connection method . Two pairs of holes for
shop assembly (A side) and for fie ld welding
(B side) are provided in the strongback
Fig. 1 - Segment arrangement support condition
and strongback
(a) The quantity of tne transverse
snr inkage i s determined from the
tnickness of the deck plate, root
opening, heat conduction, etc.,
(ETTINGER ANU SPRA RAGEN 19~0) and two
pairs of holes for shop assemo ly and
field joint in the strongback splice.
(D) The strongoack plate to be joined to
the box girder is welded to the box
girder after assuring tne position at
the time of shop assembly, and th e
shape of the briuge at the last stage
of the erection is realized accurately.
(c) The block is located using the
strongback splice holes for field joint
at the erection si t e , ana field welding
is performed.
(a) Shape adJustment when vertical
displacement occurred after field
1~elding is perf ormed by jack operation
before tightening high tensile strength
bolts .
(e) Bolts at the Joint are tightened.

60 VOLUME 13, PART 6, BRIDGES

 KUMUGAI, WATANABE- BOX GIRDER BRIDGES

7. Items that rru st be so 1ved and EXPERIMENT

confirmed before the execution of this
methoo are as follows: 9. The experiment consists of the
preliminary experiment using models
(a) When the norizontal angular distortion approximately one-third of the size of the
of the girder caused by failure of actual box girder, and the main experiment
transverse shrinkage in welding using the actua l bridge box girder. The
oecoming uniform along the butt line is preliminary experiment is performed on six
no longer negligiole. specimens in changed joint conditions such
as the strongback arrangement, while the
(b) When due to a large difference between main experiment is conducted on the specimen
transverse shrinkage calculated at the with the strongback disposed only at the
design stage and actual transverse steel-deck-plate and the specimen with the
shrinkage, high tensile strength bolts strongb ack used at the steel-deck-plate and
at the weo or the lower flange cannot the web.
be tightened .
10. In the main experiment, in order
(c) When tne girder exhibits elastic to determine the shrinkage in unrestrained
displacement behavior due to shrinkage condition s , the shrinkage test on steel
in welding and vertical displacement plates of the thicknesses of 15 mm and 18 mm
cannot be adjusted by support point corresponding to the steel-deck-p late s of
JaCk up/ down operation on ly. actual box girder specimens was conducted,
on three spec imens each .
(d) When a large snape distortion of the
cross section is produced at tn e joint 11. Fig. 2 shows the specimen model in
of the box girder bridge. the pre l iminary experiment. Fig. 3 shows
the specimen model in the main experiment.
8. With the box girder brioge in Fig. 4 shows the details of the strongback.
mind, experiments were performed to grasp The splice plates attached to the strongback
the mecnanical cnaracteristics of the of the web have such a shape as not to
strongback in a preliminary experiment using create vertical displacement bec ause of the
a small specimen model, tne arrangement of angu l ar distortion in welding but to
the strongback to minimize the above hazaros restrict horizonta l displacement by field
is oetermined, the result is applied to the welding. Table I shows the shape condition
actual bridge block test, and applicability of the welded joint of th e specimen,
of the method to actual brioge construction Table II shows the welding condition, and
is confirmed. Table III snows measuring items and met hods .

Type Prepa ratory test specimen and strongback position Type Pre paratory test specimen and strongback position

3000 1000

I 1500
I
1500
I 30 lr 940 ,,~0

.1~1 D
~

D
A C2

I ~ 21: Zi
I:!!! J:: 21:
I

B
[I] D C3

I ~ I ~
I D
C1

A
I~ I 21:
I
Restrains lower 2/3 of web between joints and lower
D C4

C2
I ~ :1: 21:
I D
Concern ing the flange and web, connect the strongback
flange area mutually . (No strongback) with knock pin .
B Sh rinkage test in unrestrained condition (equivalent to C3 For the flange, join the strongback with ordinary bolt.
non-restrained) C4 For the flange and web, connect the strongback with
C1 Regarding the flange, connects strongback with knock ordinary bolt.
pin.

Fig. 2- Preliminary test outline

13th ARRB/5th REAAA, 1986 61

 KUMUGAI, WATANABE- BOX GIRDER BRIDGES

,_
700 5500 ____..,,
1375 1375 __ 8250 .__.,
700

GA

D. D.

I
70( 5500
---,,-
1375

.. L J
1375 8250 700
u . h...dR "'
I ~
I 2000

" --W\!1\!1=
~ ~
GB 0
0
0
("')

L::.
c: .. L::. L::.
~
-
Note : In both specimen s, connect the strongback w ith knock pins .

Fig. 3 - Ma i n test specimen and strongbac k arrangement

a
TABLE I SHAPE OF TH E GROOVE

(Root opening)

0 L;----
____ ] l: __. ~

I~ d-~-
T ------,\
a::il l
Preliminary test a = 2mm (3 = 50
e
Main test a= 4mm (3 = 50

I
. . I
.
l
I
I I I I
--- EXPERIMENT RESULTS AND EXAMINATION
. --.
I I I

.
I
~
I I L--- f-
I I
I

12. The following paragraphs deal with

l_ ~ f4---
the t est results and examination in the
preliminary experiment and the main
experiment, whi l e the measured st ress of the
strongback in the ma in exper iment is
described.

PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENT

~
13. Table IV shows the averag e value
of shrinkage St along the butt welding line
of the steel-deck-plate, and the value
St/Stf obtained by divid i ng the value St by
a = 415mm (44omm ) f = 160 (160 the average value Stf of shr ink age of H type
b = 170 (160 ) g = 200 ( 90
cor responding to the shrinkage in un -
c = 200 ( 90 h= 1 (- restrained plates for each specimen model.
d= = 200
Shr inkages of A, C3, and C4 t ypes are almost
2 (- i ( 50
identical, wh ile shrinkages of C1 and C2
e = 1095 (619 j = 270 (100
types are somewhat larger than the above.
When the tightening torque is changed in the
Note : Values in preliminary test are same strongback arrangement, differences in
enc losed in ( ). shrinkage between types C1 and C3 and
between types C2 and C4 were obser ved .
Differences in shrin kage between types C1
Fig . 4 - Strongback detail vi ew and C2 and between C3 and C4 are sma ll.

62 VOLUME 13, PART 6, BRIDGES

 KUMUGAI , WATANABE- BOX GIRDER BRIDGES

TABLE II WELDING CONDITIONS

Welding method FAB submerge arc welding

Welding equipment Submerge arc welding machine (Os aka Henatsuki product)
Wire us - 49 (Kobe Seiko product)
Flux MF - 38 ( )
Welding materials Backing material {lining) FAB - 1 ( )
Metal powder RR - 2 ( )
Wire dia. 4.8
Number of layers Preliminary test Single layer
Main test Double layer (same direction )
Current 700 - 900 A
Welding condition Voltage 30 - 38 v
Speed 200 - 400 mm/min

TABLE III
MEASURING ITEMS AND MEASURING METHODS

Measuring item Measuring method

Value of shrinkage at
upper flange
Value of shrinkage at web
Vertical displacement
Horizontal disp lacement
Shape of cross section
Support reaction
Stress of strongback
Measure distance between reference points of the flange. Measure
front and back of the flange with vernier calipers. The average
value sha ll be the value of shrinkage .
Measure the shrinkage of web under th e welding position at outside
of left/right web with vernier ca l ipers.
Measure vertical displacement throughout overall length of the block
and sag due to welding immediately above the web with a height gauge.
Measure horizontal disp lacement after welding throughout overall
length of the block with vernier ca lipers using piano wire.
Measure change in the l ength of diagonal line of box girder cross
section using a piano line.
Measure support reaction wit h a static strain gauge using load ce ll.
Stick a strain gauge to the top/bottom surface of the splice of the
strongback, and measure the transmission force (ax ial force and
bend ing moment) of the strongback with a static strain gauge.

15. Vertical displacement along the

TABLE IV bridge axial direction was rearranged as the
average value of vertical displacement at
AVERAGE TRANSVERSE SHRINKAGE the measuring point on the deck plate
attached to the l eft and right webs as shown
in Fig . 5. Concerning the behavior of
Specimen St (mm) St / Stf vertical displacement, no significant
name Value of shrinkage difference was noted in all specimens of
of steel plate floor (Stf = 1.39) types B, C1, C3, and C4. For this reason,
vertical displacements of these types were
A 1. 21 0.87 collected into a batch, taken as an average
B 1.39 1.00 value, and shown by the dotted line in
C- 1 1.03 0.74 Fig. 5. The sol id line and the chain line
C-2 0. 99 0. 71 of Fig. 5 indicate vertical disp lacements of
C-3 1.18 0.85 Types A and C2 respectively .
C-4 1.14 0. 82
16. Fig. 6 shows measured results of
support reactions change after welding for
each specimen . In the figure, the solid
line represents the reaction of the support
point disposed at the side for the welding
to start, and th e dotted line that for the
14. From these facts, one of the main we lding to end. Fi gs . 5 and 6 reveal that
parameters governing the shrinkage in type A specimen corresponding to the
welding at the joint position is considered connection method (II) generally in practice
to be the mechanical strength against mentioned in paragraph 2 exhibits strong
shrinkage of the strongback to be attached elastic behavior by welding compared with
to the lower surface of the steel-deck -pl ate. other specimens.

13th ARRB/5th REAAA, 1986 63

 KUMUGAI, WATANABE- BOX GIRDER BRIDGES

measured value is large. On the other hand,

+ + 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
in the cases of specimens of types A, C1, C2

OJ I
and C4, a difference in the shrinkage
between the left and right webs is small
compared to the above, and the variation in
I
a
measured value is also small. It should be
noted, however, even when the strongback i s
provi ded only at the upper flange in type C1
with a strong restraint, the difference
betwee n left and right shrinkages becomes
A considerably small.
mm B,CI , C3, C4
1.0 C2
19 . A difference in the shrinkage
between upper and lower flanges which causes
0.5 verti cal angular distortion of the joint i s
most remarkable in type A, while it is small
0 in th e type C series with restraint by the
strongback. Particularly, in types B, Cl,
- 0.5 and C4 whic h do not provide the strongback
at the web, a difference in the shrinkage
- 1.0 between upper and lower flanges is hardly
observed. From the above , the cause of
angular distortion by welding at the joint
position is considered to be the mechanical
Fig. 5 - Vertical displacement at webs restraints against shrinkage in welding of
the web and the lower flange .

17. Fig. 7 shows the value of
shrinkage along the web line in the joint
position for eac n specimen moael. The solid
line and the dotted line indicate the values
of the shrin kage at the welding start and
end points respectively.
18. The following facts are known from
Fig. 7. In the models of types 8 and C3
where no strongback is provided at the web,
a difference in shrinkage between the left
and right webs is large, and variation in
20. Regarding the horizontal dis-
placement by welding, its maximum value in
types B and C3 was around 1 mm, and there
was almost no shape distortion of the cross
section of the j oint position in all types .
rvlAIN EXPERIMENT
21. The ave t~ 9 e value St of shrinkage
of the steel-deck-plate was 2. 03 mm in the
GA experiment conducted on 18 mm thick

(N)
4000 (N) (N)
3000 3000 3000

2000 2000 2000

1000 1000 1000

p, P2 P
0 0 0

- 1000 - 1000 - 1000

- 2000 - 2000 - 2000 Web on side where

welding started
- 3000 -3000 -3000 .
C3
A C1 Web on side where
---~---
weld ing f in ished

(N) (N) (N )
IX X
I
X X
I
3000 3000 3000 p, P2 PJ P
2000 2000 2000

1000 1000 1000

0 0 0

- 1000 - 1000 - 1000

- 2000 - 2000 - 2000

- 3000 - 3000 - 3000

B C2 C4

Fig. 6 - Change in support reaction at each web

64 VOLUME 13, PART 6, BRIDGES

 KUMUGAI , WATANABE- BOX GIRDER BR IDGES

Value of
- - - - Welding start end
shrinkage
(mm)
3 .0 A ---o-- Welding finish end
c 3 .0 C-2
c;
2.0 c. 2.0
"'c
1.0 -~ 1.0
~
0 0
--- -~ ---- -o
5 6 7 2 4 6
- 1.0 2 4 - 1.0

- 2 .0 - 2 .0

- 3 .0 -3.0

3 .0 3 .0
C-3
B
2 .0 2.0

1.0 1 .0
o-- - ..o--~--~- -- - ~ - - -- ~ - --- ..o ~ --o-- _
O f---.--~-.---~--~--.---.-- 0
''
- 1.0 2 3 4 5 6 - 1 .0 2 3 4 ' .... ... 5 6 7

"--- -- ~
- 2.0 - 2.0 - - --c

- 3 .0 - 3.0

3 .0 3 .0
C-1 C-4
2 .0 2 .0

1.0 ~. ~ 10 :.. - ~- - ~
. ,. .-- .- -!.- --- -=--- -- I 0
o-. - ..0. - -o--~ - - - --o - - -- ~- --- - ~ ~ - --- - "0

0 1---.---.-----.--.---- - . - - - - . - -- . - - 0

- 1.0 2 3 4 5 6 - 1.0 2 3 4 5 6

- 2 .0 - 2.0

- 3 .0 -30

Reference
point
position

Fig. 7 - Shri nkage of web at joint position

steel-deck-plate with the strongback being 23 . Even in any other connection

arranged only at the upper flange, while in method, if providing the strongback beneath
the GB experiment conducted on 15 mm thick the lower surface of the steel-deck-plate is
steel-deck-plate with the strongback being considered, the result of the preliminary
arranged at the upper flange and web, St was tests which revealed that the shrinkage in
2.01 mm . welding depends mostly on the stiffness of
the strongback provided on the underside of
22. On the other hand, the average the steel-deck - plate is substantiated by
shrinkage Stf in an unrestrained condition, this result.
as known from the shrinkage tests in
unrestrained condition, was 3.21 mm in the
GA experiment, and 3.25 mm in the GB 24 . Fig. 8 is a graphic representation
experiment. Accordingly, St/Stf is 0.632 in of vertical displacement along the axial
the GA experiment, and 0.618 in the GB direction of the bridge in the average value
experiment. Hence St/Stf in both ex- of the left and right webs.
periments is within the range from 0. 60 to
0.65 nearly corresponding to the value when
any other type connection method was used. 25. Support reactions change after
(FUKAZU and YOSHIZAWA 1977) welding remained almost the same in the GA

13th ARAB/5th REAAA, 1986 65

 KUMUGAI , WATANABE- BOX GIRDER BRIDGES

2@ 212 .5:425

__
r~-----5@ 11_00_:5_5_00__2_@_60<F_-rn~r
8@ 1100: 8800 700

uuu 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
r!
20

I I I
L.> A D. A

- 2.0

[G8]
(mm)

0+-~~------------------------------------------------------~--

- 1.0

- 2.0

Note : Average of measured va lues at the welding start end side and finish end side was plotted.

Fig. 8 - Verti cal displacement in the mai n test

experiment, and only 10000 N to 20000 N

transition was recorded at the end support .
en [GA ] ---<>- - --
Welding start end side

Weldi ng finis h end side

point and mid-support point in the GB ~ (mm
experiment. 3.0
~

~
.
0 2.0
1.0
26. From these facts, it can be said >
that when the method presented nere is used, 0
though vertical displacement wou l d be caused 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Measuring
point No .
due to the strongback provided at the web,
i t s amount would be sma ll and yet dis-
placement behavior like a rigid body would
be exhibited. [GB]
(mm
3.0
27 . Fig . 9 snows the value of 2.0
shrinkage along the web at the joint of the 1.0
b1ock. Thou gil in the l eft ana the ri gnt
webs almost no difference exists in the 0
Measuring
value of shrinkage between the top flang e 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No.
and bottom flange, the difference in the
va lue of shrinkage between the left and Measuring point
Measu ring point
right webs at measuring points of the same 1
height is as large as 2 mm in both the GA 2

\0
and GB exper iments .

28 . This is considered to have been 11

caused because the two-layers welding was
performed from the same direction . From the
results of the preliminary experiment and
main exper iment, it is considered that
though the difference in shrinkage between Fig. 9 - Value of shri nkage at web in the
the left and right webs can be controlled by main test

66 VOLUME 13, PART 6, BRIDGES

 KUMUGAI, WATANABE- BOX GIRDER BRIDGES

the strongback to some extent, the most

predominant factor to cause the difference
lies in the butt welding direction. F' Fi F] Average of F lange strongback
WI w, w3 W3 axial stress

29. Horizontal displacement due to

horizontal angular distortion is at the Average of web strongback
axial st ress
maximum of 4 mm in the GA experiment and
2 mm in the GB experiment, and these are
extremely small values when considered from W2 w2 w4 W Bending moment exerting
- - - - - - on Flange st rongback
the difference in the value of shrinkage
between the left and right webs at the joint
of the block. The fact reveals that the
stro ngback arranged at the web contro ls the
horizontal angular distortion, and it is Note: Te nsile stress is indicated by
known that the difference in the value of +sign.
shrinkage between the left and right webs at
the joint is none other than a local
phenomenon .

I N .m ) IMP a )
30. There was utterly no shape
-5000 50
distortion of the cross section of the GA
- 4000 40
gird er in tn e GA and G~ experiments, thu s
substantiating the result of the preliminary - 3000 30
experiment. - 2000 20
(m in. I
- 1000 10
30 60 90 120

f
0 0
1000 - 10 I
I
2000 - 20 ''
STRESS OF STRONGBACK 3000 - 30
''' ,_
4000 - 40
'---- .... __
5000 - 50
31. The result of strongback stress
6000 - 60 2nd lay e r
measurement in Table V shows the average When 1st-la ye r
normal compression stress of th e strongb ack we lding is fin ish ed
sp 1 ice three hours after commencement of
we lding, carrying axial force, and average
residual stress of the welding obtained by
dividing the carrying axial force by the
cross section of the welding at the joint. IN.m l (MP al
-5000 50
GB
-4000 40
32. Fig. 10 shows the restrained force - 3000 30
induced to the strongback splice with the -2000 20
time from the weld commencement taken as a - 1000 10
parameter. The solid line and the dotted 0 0
line indicate the average stress per a point
of strongback and average bending moment 1000 -10
respectively. 2000 - 20
3000 -30
4000 -40
33. Table V and Fig. 10 reveal th e 5000 -50
following facts. 6000 -60 2nd laye r

Wh en 1st -l ayer
(a) Stress i s induced to the strongback we lding is fin ished
immediately after the weld commencement .

(o) The axial restrained stress of the

strongback attached to the lower
surface of the steel-deck-plate becomes
maximum ten to thirty minutes after the
completion of welaing, and then Fig. 10 - Stress in strongback
decreases.

(c) Both the bending moment restrained

stress of the strongback, attached to
the lower surface of the steel-
deck-plate, and the axial restrained
stress of the strongback at the web
reach nearly the maximum value at the
end of welding, and a constant value is
indicated after welding.
(d) As the deposited part is cooled,
residual stress due to the strongback
of the web becomes predom inant,
howeve r, this value is small when the
new method is used.

13th ARRB/5th REAAA, 1986 67

 KUMUGAI , WATANABE- BOX GIRDER BRIDGES

TABLE V NOTES ON THE EXECUTION OF THE IMPROVED

CONNECTING METHOD
STRESS OF STRONGBACK

(MPa) 35. By performing the welding of the

steel-deck-plate with blocks of the box
GA GB girder to be mutually connected and
- - ---- - supported on the teflon plate for the
Flg strongback stress 1 - 8.4 - 0.3
friction to be free and strongbacks provided
2 2. 2 2 at the web and the deck plate being joined
3 7.5 12 with knock pins, all problems except (b) on
the execution of the method shown in
Web strongback stress 4 - 7.7 paragraph 7 fro m (a) to (d) can be solved as
5 5.3 evidenced by the experiment results. It was
also confirmed that if the improved
6 1.7 connecting method is applied, the average
7 1.8 residual tensile stress can be made minimum.
Average axial compression 6.9 2.7 36. The problem (b) is that in tne
stress experiment conducted by using actual bridge
Carrying ax i a1 forc e -75000 N -176000 N blocks, indeed the average snrinkage of tne
left and right webs was around 60 - 70% of
Average residua 1 2.08 5.97 the shrinkage of the unrestrained butt welo,
stress in we ld but the difference in the value of shrinkage
between the left and rignt webs themselves
exhibited a value as large as 2 mm. Tne
*Stress is a value 3 hours after cause may be attributed to the fact tnat tne
we ldin g. Tensile stress is indicateo two specimens of the actual bridge block are
as thick as 15 mm and 18 mm in tne steel
by positive sign . plate floor thickness and two-layers
welding, which was required, was performed
from the same direction.
37 . In the case of multiple layers
welaing, the problem will be solved by
changing the direction of welding for each
layer. In t his study , this was not
confirmed by experiments, though in the case
\~eld direction of a general 12 mm thickne ss of the
steel-deck-plate, a single l aye r welding is
performed and its direction cannot be
CD0 changed, however, since overall shrinkage is
small and the maximum difference in the
shrinkage in welding between the l eft and
right webs is expected to be around 0. 5 mm,
this value is considered to be we l l within
the surp lus room of the holes for the high
tensile strength bolts.
38 . The i mproved connection method is
considered to be feasible providing that
welding is performed taking the above into
co nsideration.

CONCLUSIONS

34 . Accordingly, the strongback

provi ded at the l owe r surface of the
s teel-deck-plate controls transverse
shrinkage of the flange i n welding by the
r igi dity for the bending moment and axial
forc e . However , it is kn own to make no
contribution to th e r esidual stress at the
deposited part. Conv erse ly, the strongback
provided at the web contributes to the
residual stress. These findings sub-
stantiate distortion behavior of the
preliminary specimen test mentioned above.
39. Conclusions of th e present study
can be summed up as follows.
(a) Angular distortion at the joint caused
by welding and vertical displacement of
the girder which resulted, therefore,
are caused by restraining the web and
the lower flange between blocks at the
joint position mutually, not by the
restraint of the strongback provided at
the steel-deck-plate. Vertical

68 VOLU M E 13, PART 6, BRID G ES

 KUMUGAI, WATANABE- BOX GIRDER BRIDGES

displacement of the block caused by the strongbacks were removed, the

welding and vertical rotation of the
joint can be controlled to a negligible
value by designing the strongback to be
arranged at the web to a shape that
helps to weaken the restraint in the
axial direction of the bridge.
(b) The horizontal displacement of the
girder due to butt welding at th e joint
can be controlled by the strongback t o
be arranged at the web .
(c) The largest factor for contro lling th e
shrinkage of th e joint of the deck
plate by welding is mechanical
restraint of the rigidity for the axial
force and the bending moment of the
strongback provided at th e stee l-
dec k-plate.
(d) The difference in the shrinkage in
welding between the left and the right
webs depends largely on the direction
of the welding . It can be controlled
to some extent by using strongbacks
arranged on the back side of the flange
and the web.
(e) Shape distortion of the cross section
of the box girder by welding is totally
negligible.
(f) Res idual stress of tn e welding is
caused by the joint web and lower
flange being restrainea. Therefore, if
outcome of the test resu lts cou l d not
be changed .
(g) Problems due to distortion of th e outt
we ld joint of the stee l-deck-plate,
e .g. vertical displacement, horizontal
displacement, etc., can be solved by
th e use of the i mproved connecting
method described i n Section 5, and the
connection th at can minimize residual
stress at the welding area i s made
possible.
RE FERENCES
Ettinger W.G . and Spragen W. (19 50) .
Shrinkage Distortion in We l ding . Welding
Reserch Supple1nent. (Amer i can Welding
Society) June , pp . 292- 294
FUKAZU S. and YuSHIZA\~A N. (1971.) Fi el a
Welding of the Cn ido r i Bridge , Bridg e and
Found at i on Engineerin g (Kensetsu TosnOJ ,
Feb ., pp. 14-20
MAENO H., SATU S. and i'llYAKE fYI. (1983) .
Koshoban-Hakogeta Genba Yosetsu no Henke i
Jitsubutsu -Model Sniken Proc; 38t n Annual
Conf . of Japan Soc. Civ. Eng .
Part I, pp. 315- 316

Mr . Yoji Kumagai was born in 1951 and graduated with a B. Sc . and M. Sc . in

CiviZ Engineering fr om the Waseda University , Japan . He has been engaged
in designing stee Z bridges at the Yokohama Factory of M. H. I. Ltd. , and is
Y. Kumagai weZZ ex perienced in structural analysis .

Mr. Yasuyuki Watanabe was born in 1943 and graduated with a B.Sc . and M.Sc .
in Civil Engineering from the Waseda Unive rsity , Japan . He has much
experience in designing steel structures and is now chief engineer of the
Y. Watanabe Bridge Designing Section at the Yokohama Factory of M. H. I. Ltd .

13th ARRB/5th REAAA, 1986 69