1

Box Girder Data

Design a RC box girder (Fig. 1) according to AASHTO requirements using the following data:

Span length 24.4 m (80 ft)

Loading HS 20 – 44
2 traffic lanes
32 MPa
420 MPa
Top slab thickness 20 cm
Web thickness 30 cm
Longitudinal fillets 10 × 10 cm
Weight of the asphaltic concrete overlay 1.75 kN/m2
Weight of the Type 25 concrete barrier rail (California Standards) 5.8 kN/m
Concrete density 25 kN/m3

The typical cross section is shown in Fig. 1.

1 inch = 2.54 cm

1 psi = 0.006894757 MPa

1 kipft = 1.355818 kNm

1 kip = 4.448222 kN

Assume any missing data

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 2

1.75 ft
’’
3 A. C. overlay
0.20 m
0.30 m

0.20 m

10 cm fillets
0.30 m ht =
tbot =

1.20 m 9.3 m

Fig. 1: Typical cross-section of a box girder

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 3

Reinforcement details for cross-section at midspan

Reinforcement detailing must include:

1. Main flexural reinforcement As1

2. Shear reinforcement As2
3. Reinforcement parallel to girder As3
4. Reinforcement transverse to girder span As4
5. Longitudinal skin reinforcement over the web heights As5.

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 4

Cross – sectional Area (cm2)

Bar Diameter Ø (mm)
Nb of
12 14 16 20 25 32 40
Bars
1 1.13 1.54 2.01 3.14 4.91 8.04 12.57
2 2.26 3.08 4.02 6.28 9.82 16.08 25.13
3 3.39 4.62 6.03 9.42 14.73 24.13 37.70
4 4.52 6.16 8.04 12.57 19.64 32.17 50.27
5 5.65 7.70 10.05 15.71 24.54 40.21 62.83
6 6.79 9.24 12.06 18.85 29.45 48.25 75.40
7 7.92 10.78 14.07 21.99 34.36 56.30 87.96
8 9.05 12.32 16.08 25.13 39.27 64.34 100.53
9 10.18 13.85 18.10 28.27 44.18 72.38 113.10
10 11.31 15.39 20.11 31.42 49.09 80.42 125.66
11 13.57 18.47 24.13 37.70 58.91 96.51 150.80
12 14.70 20.01 26.14 40.84 63.81 104.55 163.36
13 15.83 21.55 28.15 43.98 68.72 112.59 175.93
14 16.96 23.09 30.16 47.12 73.63 120.64 188.50
15 16.96 23.09 30.16 47.12 73.63 120.64 188.50
16 18.10 24.63 32.17 50.27 78.54 128.68 201.06
17 19.23 26.17 34.18 53.41 83.45 136.72 213.63
18 20.36 27.71 36.19 56.55 88.36 144.76 226.20
19 21.49 29.25 38.20 59.69 93.27 152.81 238.76
20 22.62 30.79 40.21 62.83 98.18 160.85 251.33

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 5

Design of RC box girder

1) Dimensions
a) ht = 0.055 L = 0.055 ×24.4 = 1.34 m AASHTO 8.9.2

Let ht = 1.70 m (stress criteria)

b) A thickness of 20 cm is selected for top slab

htop slab = 20 cm (transverse loading)

c) Web thickness tweb = 30 cm

d) Long. fillets: 10×10 cm

e) Bottom flange thickness: AASHTO 8.11.2

Clear span between girder webs
(9.3 - 0.3×4)/3 = 2.7 m
2.7
t = = 0.16875 m
16
f) Let tbot slab = 17 cm

2) Reinforcement // to girder (bottom slab as distribution reinforcement in

a singer layer) As3 AASHTO 8.17.2.3.1

The width between the outside faces of the exterior webs is 9.3 m

As3 = 0.004×0.17×9.3 = 63.24×10-4 m2 = 63.24 cm2

with bar spacing limited to 45 cm, the minimum number of spacing is 930/45 = 20.66

therefore provide 22 Ø20 = 69.08 cm2 ˃ 63.24 cm2

3) Reinforcement transverse to girder span As4 AASHTO 8.17.2.3.2

As4 = 0.005×17×30 = 2.55 cm2/ft

For each face of the bottom slab,

As4 = 0.5×2.55 = 1.275 cm2 @ 9” = 23 cm, use Ø16@23 cm

Alternating at top and bottom, resulting in a permissible spacing of 18” = 45 cm and As4

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 6
will be:

30.5 cm
2.01 × = 2.67
23 ft

This reinforcement will be anchored in the exterior faces of the outside girders as required

by AASHTO 8.17.2.3.2

4) Design of main flexural reinforcement As1:

• Dead load

The cross sectional area of the girder:

A = Top slab + bottom slab + overhangs + webs + fillets

= 9.3×0.2 + 9.3×0.17 + 2×0.5×1.20(0.2+0.30) + 4×0.3× (1.7 -0.2 -0.17) + 0.5×0.1×0.1×12

A = 5.817 m2

Therefore:

- Girder self weight :

5.817×25 = 145.43 kN/m

- Weight of asphalt concrete overlay 35lb/ft2:

(9.3+2×1.20 - 2×1.75×0.3048)×1.75 = 18.61 kN/m

- Weight of the type 25 concrete barrier rail (California standard): 5.8 kN/m

Total dead load:

145.43 + 18.61+ 2×5.8 = 175.64 kN/m

Max moment due to dead load:

1 1
M = wL = × 175.64 × 24.4 = 13071.13 kNm
8 8

Max shear due to dead load:

1 1
V = wL = × 175.64 × 24.4 = 2142.81 kNm
2 2

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 7

• Live load (see Table A6 Appendix A)

For L = 80 ft , 24.4 m and the loading is HS20-44
MLL = 1164.9 kipft = 1164.9×1.355818 = 1579.4 kNm
VLL = 63.6 kip = 63.6×4.448222 = 282.91 kN
The box girder is designed as one unit AASHTO 3.23.2.2
&
$% =
7

The nb of LL lanes

11.7
= = 5.48 × lines of wheels or 2.74 lanes
7 × 0.3048

The impact factor:

50 × 0.3048
I= = 0.24
24.4 + 125 × 0.3048

Therefore:

MLL+I = 1579.4×2.74×1.24 = 5366.2 kN

VLL+I = 282.91×2.74×1.24 = 961.2 kN

5) Total design load at the serviceability limit state:

Mtotal service = 13071.13 + 5366.2 = 18437.33 kNm

Vtotal service = 2142.81 + 961.2 = 3104 kN

Area of steel:

Let j = 0.9 and d = 1.7 -0.1 = 1.6 m

fs = 0.4fy (SLS criteria)

M5 67 18437.33 × 10:;
234 = = = 0.076213 m = 762.13 cm
f jd 0.4 × 420 × 0.9 × 1.6

Try Ø40 = 12.57 cm2

Nb of bars required:

762.13
= 60.63
12.57

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 8
Say 61 bars

As1 prov. = 61×12.57 = 766.77 cm2

6) Design for shear: As2

Vt ser = 3104 kN

Assuming that the entire shear is resisted by all 4 webs

b = 4×30 = 120 cm

d = 1.6 m = 160 cm

shear stress AASHTO Eq. 8.12

V 3104 × 10:;
v= = = 1.62 MPa
b? d 1.2 × 1.6

vA = 0.95BfA = 0.95√0.006894757 × 32 = 0.47 MPa

v – vc = 1.62 – 0.47 = 1.15 MPa ˂4√0.006894757 × 32 = 1.88 MPa OK

Use Ø16 two legged stirrups;

As2 = 4×(2×2.01) = 16.08 cm2 (in 4 webs)

The required spacing is

GH I 16.08 × 10:P × 0.4 × 420

F= = = 0.196 Q
JK − K MNO 1.15 × 1.2

Provide Ø16 two legged stirrups @ 19 cm o. c.

Check for min shear reinforcement

A VfW
sRST =
50b?

7) Longitudinal skin reinforcement over the web heights As5

A X ≥ 0.012Jd − 30M AASHTO 8.17. 2.1.3

A X ≥ 0.012J160 − 30 × 2.54M = 1.006 cm ⁄ft

Provide Ø16 @ 26 cm

(lesser of d/6, 30.5) o.c. each face

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 9
Min (160/6 = 26.7 , 30.5) = 26.7 cm

Ask = 2×2.01 = 4.02 cm2 ˃ 1.006 cm2 OK

8) Check for strength:

Checking this time will be made by load factor method

Mu = 1.3× [1×13071.13 + 1.67×5366.2] = 28642.5 kNm

As prov. = 766.77 cm2, fy = 420 MPa

A fW 766.77 × 10:P × 420

0.85fA ab = A fW → a = = = 0.127 m = 12.7 cm
0.85fA b 0.85 × 32 × 9.3

˂ 20 cm hence the compression stress block lies entirely in the flange; Mu can be calculated as for a

rectangular section:

a 0.127
MT = As fy `d − a = 766.77 × 10
−4
× 420 b1.6 − c = 49.482 deQ = 49482 feQ
2 2

ØMn = 0.9×49482 = 44533.8 kNm ˃ Mu = 28642.5 kNm OK

Vu = 1.3 × [1×2142.81 + 1.67×961.2] = 4872.4 kN

VA = 2BfA b? d = 0.17b? dBfA = 0.17 × J0.30 × 4M × 1.6 × √32 = 1.85 MN = 1850 kN

A fW d 2.04 × 10:P × 8 × 420 × 1.6

V = = = 5.772 MN = 5772 kN
s 0.19

Vn = Vc + Vs = 1850 + 5772 = 7622 kN

Ø Vn = 0.85×7622 = 6478.7 kN ˃ Vu = 4872.4 kN OK

9) Check for control of crack widths:

g
I =
Bh G
i

Total number of reinforcing bars in flexural is 61

j4 × 30 × 2 × 10 + kJ930 − 120M × 17lm

G= = 265.1 nQ
61

I ≤ 0.6 = 0.6 × 420 = 252 dpq

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 10
dc = 1.7 – 1.6 = 0.1 m = 10 cm

Use 2’’ = 5 cm Max permitted

z = 130 kip⁄in for severe exposure conditions AASHTO 8.16.8.4

g = 22767.7 fe⁄Q

22767.7
I = = 207265 fe⁄Q = 207.3 dpq < 252 dpq wx
√0.05 × 265.1 × 10:P
i

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 11

10) Reinforcement Detailing

’’
3 A. C. overlay
0.20 m
0.30 m

0.20 m

10 cm fillets
0.30 m ht =1.70 m
tbot =0.17 m

1.20 m 9.3 m

Fig. 1: Typical cross-section of a box girder

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

 12

(5)Ø 16 @ 26 cm
each face
(2)Ø 16 @ 19 cm
(3)22 Ø 20 o. c. typ. all webs

(4)Ø16 @ 23 cm
(1)61 Ø40
(bot.)Uniformly spaced

Reinforcement details for cross-section at midspan

Reinforcement detailing must include:

1. Main flexural reinforcement As1

2. Shear reinforcement As2
3. Reinforcement parallel to girder As3
4. Reinforcement transverse to girder span As4
5. Longitudinal skin reinforcement over the web heights As5

Design of Concrete Box Girder Bridge 40 41 Dr Brahim Bousalem

13