Field Instrumentation and Analysis of the Tuttle Creek Bridge

Marshall, Nathan; Ramirez, Guillermo; Roddis, W. M. Kim; Rolfe, Stanley; Matamoros, Adolfo B. · 2006 · ROSA P / University of Kansas. Dept. of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (full text — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This report documents the field instrumentation and structural analysis of the Tuttle Creek Bridge, a 5,350-foot, two-girder steel plate-girder bridge in Kansas constructed in 1962. The research addresses persistent fatigue cracking in the bridge’s steel superstructure, which poses a significant safety risk due to the structure’s fracture-critical, non-redundant design. The primary motivation was to investigate the causes of continued cracking despite a 1986 retrofit and to validate finite element models to guide further repair strategies. The study focuses on three specific failure modes: web-gap cracking, gusset plate cracking, and longitudinal stiffener cracking, all attributed largely to distortion-induced stresses caused by differential deflection of the two main girders. The methodology involved a comprehensive pre-retrofit load test conducted by the University of Kansas under contract to the Kansas Department of Transportation. Researchers installed strain gages and accelerometers on critical components, including the upper and lower web-gap regions, lateral gusset plates, and longitudinal stiffeners. Data was collected using a Mark IV Snooper vehicle to apply controlled truck loading, allowing for the measurement of induced stresses and dynamic behavior. These field measurements were compared against theoretical stress values derived from finite element models created in 2000. The report details the installation procedures, data acquisition systems, and the specific locations of instrumentation across various spans and diaphragms. Key findings reveal that the majority of fatigue cracks occur in the upper web-gap region, specifically as weld tears and horizontal cracks, driven by the lack of positive attachment between the connection stiffener and the upper flange. The field data confirmed that differential girder deflection generates secondary stresses at diaphragm locations, leading to crack initiation. The study compared measured stresses with theoretical predictions, providing empirical evidence to refine the finite element models. Additionally, the report documents cracking patterns in gusset plates and longitudinal stiffeners, noting that interior horizontal cracks in the web-gap region followed a bell-shaped distribution across diaphragms, while weld tears were more uniformly distributed. The significance of this work lies in its contribution to the validation of repair strategies for older steel bridges. The data supports the recommended repair scheme of positively attaching the connection stiffener to the upper flange, a method already proven effective in similar contexts. By establishing a baseline of pre-retrofit stresses, the study enables a direct comparison with post-retrofit measurements to quantify the effectiveness of the repairs. Furthermore, the findings provide critical insights for improving future finite element modeling of distortion-induced fatigue, aiding engineers in designing more resilient connections and retrofitting existing infrastructure to prevent catastrophic failure.

Key finding

The study identified that the majority of fatigue cracks occur in the upper web-gap region and transverse welds of lateral gusset plates, primarily caused by differential deflection of the two main girders.

Methodology

field_study

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• rail grade crossings