Title: RC skew slabs behaviour: a finite element model

Authors: Eman J. Ismail

Addresses: Faculty of Technology, Linnaeus University, SE-35195 Växjö, Sweden

Abstract: Skew slabs enable to achieve a variety of solutions in, for instance, roadway alignments which contribute to a minor environmental impact for new road construction projects. But the force flow in skew slabs is much more complicated than in straight slab. Thus, the problem is more critical when constructing skew slabs. The complex behaviour of skew bridge slabs makes the utilisation of finite element method (FEM) the most critical and essential analytical tool to model reinforced concrete skew slab and calculate the non-linear behaviour of its structural members with considerable accuracy. This paper uses the general purpose of 3D finite element and ABAQUS software to design straight and skew slabs. Six separate bridge slab models/sketches of different angles were produced. Same material and material properties, loading, boundary conditions and meshing were used to determine the response and behaviour of each bridge slab. The slab is made of concrete class C35/45.

Keywords: skew slabs; reinforced concrete; RC; loading; slab; finite element.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTRUCTE.2018.098842

International Journal of Structural Engineering, 2018 Vol.9 No.4, pp.273 - 288

Received: 03 Aug 2016
Accepted: 02 Aug 2017
Published online: 04 Apr 2019 *

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