Harryson, P (2008) Industrial bridge engineering: structural developments for more efficient bridge construction. PhD thesis, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.
Abstract
In recent years, growing concern about the deficiencies and lack of efficiency in the construction industry has highlighted the need of research in order to make substantial improvements, rectify incongruities and succeed in progressive development. For bridges, the advantages that can be expected from an industrial construction process are especially interesting. The multidisciplinary research presented in this thesis investigates different means of creating an industrial process for bridge construction while emphasising the vast importance of structural engineering in combination with industrial issues, i.e. industrial bridge engineering. Applications of new or approved techniques, materials technology and developments, methods of design and analysis, as well as construction methods are important areas that have been considered. The increasing utilisation of information and communication technology (ICT), along with more advanced computer-based analysis and simulation methods, are contemporary trends. Seemingly, an important key to the successful construction concepts of tomorrow is to combine these factors into an efficient industrial process.One objective in the presented work has been to establish the foundations for attaining such a new process – basically through analysis of the current bridge construction process – as well as to determine the required improvements needed to provide a framework for a new industrial process. Deficiencies in the traditional bridge construction process have been recognised, as have the underlying driving forces of change. Three cornerstones of industrial bridge construction have been identified – process development, product development and productivity development – and technical necessities have been investigated.Furthermore, a study of an innovative jointing technology for connections between prefabricated concrete elements in bridges has been conducted. The aim has been to design a joint that makes the surrounding elements continuous, but still a very small joint that is easy and fast to perform, and thus highly suitable for use in industrial bridge concepts.In addition, a feasibility study of a novel industrial bridge concept has been undertaken. The concept embraces ultra-high-performance steel-fibre-reinforced concrete in composite action with fibre-reinforced polymers. Several laboratory tests and finite element analyses have been conducted. The main focus has been to investigate new or approved techniques from a design viewpoint as a continuation of recent materials developments, while also considering industrial aspects and construction characteristics such as production methods, assembly, etc.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | efficiency; simulation; foundations; reinforced concrete; bridge construction; communication; construction method; feasibility study; information and communication technology; materials technology; productivity; structural engineering; structural engineer |
| Index terms: | information and communication technology, laboratory, feasibility study, materials technology, construction method, reinforced concrete, structural engineer, bridge construction, product development, fibre-reinforced concrete, composite, efficiency, productivity, finite element analysis, construction industry, industrial construction, foundations |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, engineering analysis, research management, building construction, infrastructure engineering, structural engineering, management, performance management, design stages, building materials, materials science, computing systems, innovation studies, profession |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Quality Management, Roles and Professions, Business Strategy, Construction Materials, Research Practice, Site Management, Digital Applications, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here