THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF

PRECAST SEGMENTAL BOX GIRDER (SBG)

Ir Dr LOW HF PhD.Eng (Monash)

PEPC, MIEM, C.Eng MIStructE, MIEAust, CPEng,
MIES, APEC Eng, ASEAN Eng, IntPE

27 Jul 2022
THIS PRESENTATION SHALL COVER

 Introduction to Segmental Box Girder (SBG) Bridges;

 SBG Casting Methods & Erection Methods

 Typical General Arrangement (GA) and Segmentation of SBG Bridge

 Design Consideration & Typical Detailing of Segmental Box Girder

 Construction Sequence of Precast SBG

 Construction Engineering & Temporary Work for Precast SBG

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 2

 INTRODUCTION TO BOX GIRDER BRIDGE

 A Box Girder is formed when two vertical webs are joined by a common
flange at both the top and the bottom to form the shape of a hollow box.

 The closed cell box girder has a much greater torsional stiffness and
strength than an open section, such as U or T beam.

 Advantages of box girder: torsionally stiff => suitable for curved deck; span
longer range (>45m); high structural efficiency; aesthetically pleasing.

 Box Girder can be Precast at casting yard, or Cast In-Situ on form traveler
Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 3
SEGMENTAL BOX GIRDER (SBG) BRIDGE

 Box Girders can be segmented

into multiple small units for easy
site handling, and to avoid
massive formwork from ground
 These box girder segments are joined together by prestress tendons
 Segmental Box Girder (SBG) construction can be either precast at
factory, or cast in-situ on hanging formwork, depending on the bridge
span length and max depth of the segments

~1m
Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 4
CATEGORY OF SEGMENTAL BOX GIRDER

SEGMENTAL BOX GIRDERS (SBG)

CAST IN-SITU PRECAST Casting

• On Form Traveller • Short Line Casting Method
(Hanging Formwork) • Long Line Casting
• Span > 100m

SPAN-BY-SPAN BALANCED CANTILEVER

Erection • By Launching Gantry (LG)
• Full span launching by LG
Method • Supported on Bearings • By Segment Erector (SG)
• Dry Joints • Direct Crane Launching

SUPPORTED ON MONOLITHIC
BEARINGS WITH PIERS
• MD Segment Precast • MD Segment Cast In-Situ
• Temporary Fixity during • Temporary Fixity not
erection necessary
• Span < 45m • 100m > Span > 45m

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 5

PRECAST SBG CASTING METHODS
Advantages of Precast Segmental Box Girders:
a) Better quality control and nicer finished surface
b) Superstructure erection at faster rate vs. cast in-situ construction
c) Shorter overall construction period because segments are made
concurrently with the construction of substructure and foundation
 Precast segments are built at casting yard
using either short-line or long line method

Short Line Casting

Long Line Casting 6
PRECAST SBG ERECTION METHOD 1
 Span-by-Span Method: entire span
is assembled, post-tensioned, and
erected so that it is self-
supporting before the next span.
 Dry Joints with External Tendons
 Very fast erection (2-3 days/ span)
 Span range < 45m, limit by LG capacity

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 7

PRECAST SBG ERECTION METHOD 2
 Balanced Cantilever Method: precast segments are erected by
cantilevering out from each side of the pier in a balanced manner
until two cantilever tips from each pier meets at midspan for stitching
 Top tendons are installed and stressed during cantilever stage to
resist the hogging moment from bridge self weight and launching
equipment.
 Bottom tendons are installed and stressed after the midspan stitching
to resist the sagging moment due to bridge loading, eg super-imposed
dead load, live load and restraint creep effect.
Midspan
Stitching

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 8

PRECAST SBG ERECTION METHOD 2

 Precast Segmental Box Girder by Balanced Cantilever

Construction Method < 60m can be built on Pot Bearings together
with precast Middle Diaphragm (MD Segment)
 Precast SBG > 60m are built-in Monolithic with Piers for a more
robust structure and to control the lifting weight of the MD
segment

Precast SBG Middle Diaphragm Cast Diaphragm Segment Between 2 units of Precast SBG

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 9

PRECAST SGB ERECTION METHOD 2
 Precast SBG can also be built monolithic with T-Shape Pier and Portal
Beams for cantilever construction

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COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT CONST. METHODS

Precast Precast SBG Precast SBG Cast In-Situ

Beams & erected with erected by SBG on Form
Cast In-Situ Span-by-Span Balanced Travelers
Slab Method Cantilever
Method
Typ Span Range ≤ 40m ≤ 45m 45m ~ 100m 100m ~ 200m

Construction Speed ** ***** **** *

Aesthetic * ***** ***** ***
Economical ***** **/*** **/*** ***/**
Minimising Disturbance *** ***** ***** ****
to Traffic
Technical Demand ** **** ***** ***

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 11

 TYPICAL SBG BRIDGE
GENERAL ARRANGEMENT AND
SEGMENTATION LAYOUT

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 TYPICAL SBG BRIDGE LAYOUT & ELEVATION
BY BALANCED CANTILEVER CONSTRUCTION

Total Bridge Length = 372.8m

46.6m 46.6m 46.6m 46.6m 46.6m 46.6m 46.6m 46.6m

Standard Span Supported on Pot Bearings Standard Span with Monolithic Crosshead Standard Span Supported on Pot Bearings

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 13

TYPICAL SBG BRIDGE SECTIONS
13.5m

2.45m
(constant)

SBG CONSTRUCTED MONOLITHICALLY WITH

CROSSHEAD TO OPTIMISE CLEARANCE BELOW
Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 14
 TYPICAL PRECAST SBG SEGMENTATION WITH
MIDDLE DIAPHRAGM SUPPORTED ON BEARINGS

MJ Endspan Midspan
Stitching Stitching

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TYPICAL PRECAST SBG SEGMENTATION
WITH MONOLITHIC MIDDLE DIAPHRAGM

Cast In-Situ
Stitching to Monolithic
MD Segment MD Segment

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 16

 PHOTOS OF FALSEWORKS FOR STITCHING SBG TO
MONOLITHIC MIDDLE DIAPHRAGM

Falsework for Precast SBG Stitching (1st Pair of Segments):

1. Hanging Beam from the Top of SBG

2. Using Segment Erector to hang the segments
3. Conventional Falsework (Steel Structures or Heavy
Duty Scaffold)
4. Hanging Bracket mounted to column
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 BOX GIRDER BRIDGE
SEGMENT PRECASTING

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TYPICAL PRECAST SBG SEGMENTATION LAYOUT

Trapezoidal
Shape on Plan
for Curve

Straight Segments
Curved Segments

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 19

SBG SEGMENTATION AND CASTING
Match Cast
Segment Fixed
Wet Bulkhead
Match Cast
Cast Segment
Segment

Wet Cast
Segment

• Curved Alignment
Segment is made
up of multiple
straight segments

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 20

GEOMETRY CONTROL FOR SEGMENT CASTING

Fixed Bulkhead

Wet Cast Segment

Match Cast Segment

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 BOX GIRDER BRIDGE
DESIGN CONSIDERATION

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BEHAVIOR OF A SEGMENTALLY
CONSTRUCTED BRIDGE

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 23

 ANALYSIS OF BALANCED CANTILEVER
BOX GIRDER BRIDGE

• The design of segmental box girders (SBG) is highly influenced by the

construction method

• Locked-in stresses in the bridge structure due to stage construction

have to be considered; including redistribution of stresses due to
restraint creep effect

• ABI/ MIDAS/TDV software which can consider time dependent effect

and construction stage, was used for the bridge analysis and design
Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 24
DESIGN CONSIDERATION DURING
BALANCED CANTILEVER CONST. STAGE

Generally, AASHTO guidelines are adopted. Considerations include:

• Dead Load of the structure during construction
• Differential Load from one cantilever; taken as 2% of the dead load applied to
one cantilever
• Distributed Construction Live Load; 0.50kPa on one cantilever and 0.25kPa on
the other
• Construction Equipment (Segment Erector) weight
• Segment Unbalanced; one segment out-of-balance
• Wind Load; applies to full cantilever and/or one cantilever tips
• Accidental Release of one segment due to failure of Machinery
Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 25
DESIGN OF PRESTRESSED BOX GIRDERS
AT SERVICE STAGE

Longitudinal (Global) Analysis

• Bending, M (Prestressing Tendons)
• Shear,V (Reinforcement Bars)
• Torsion, T (Reinforcement Bars)

Transverse Analysis
• Distortion & Warping
• Box Frame Action

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 26

PRESTRESSED BOX GIRDER LOCAL EFFECT

• Blister Bending & Shear (Corbel)

• Tendon Anchorage Bursting & T
Spalling Forces
• Tendon Deviation Force at Blister
• Blister Tie-Back Tensile Force
• Equilibrium Reinforcement for D-
region
• Resultant Downward Radii Force
at Bottom Slab

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 27

TYPICAL BOX GIRDER BRIDGE
DETAILING

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TYPICAL BALANCED CANTILEVER SBG
PRESTRESS TENDON DETAILS (SHEET 1)

TENDON LAYOUT OF BOX GIRDER BUILT BY

BALANCED CANTILEVER METHOD
Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 29
TYPICAL BALANCED CANTILEVER SBG
PRESTRESS TENDON DETAILS (SHEET 2)

BOX GIRDER PRESTRESS TOP TENDONS

BOX GIRDER PRESTRESS BOTTOM TENDONS

Midspan
Stitching

BOX GIRDER PRESTRESS SECTION VIEW

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 30

TYPICAL BOX GIRDER STEEL REINF.

Main Reinforcement
• Deck Slab Top & Bottom Bars
• Web Shear Links and Longitudinal Bars
• Bottom Flange Top & Bottom Bars

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 31

TYPICAL BOX GIRDER BLISTER DETAILS
TOP TENDON ANCHORAGE

Stressing Anchorage

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 32

TYPICAL BOX GIRDER BLISTER DETAILS

BOTTOM BLISTER DETAIL

Bursting Links

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 33

SHEAR KEYS BETWEEN PRECAST SBG JOINTS

Pecast SBG Design &

Construction by Ir Dr
Precast SBG Design & Construction by IrLow
Dr HF
Low(BRIS2022)
HF (BRIS2022) 34
 CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE OF
PRECAST SEGMENTAL BOX GIRDERS

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 35

 PRECAST SBG ERECTION BY
BALANCED CANTILEVER METHOD
USING LAUNCHING GANTRY
Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 36
PRECAST SBG BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION WITH GANTRY

Midspan Stitching

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 37

PRECAST SBG BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION WITH GANTRY

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 38

 PRECAST SBG ERECTION BY
BALANCED CANTILEVER METHOD
USING DIRECT CRANE LAUNCHING
Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 39
PRECAST SBG BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION WITH CRANE

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 40

PRECAST SBG BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION WITH CRANE

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 41

CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING &
TEMPORARY WORKS

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TEMPORARY PRESTRESS BARS & SHEAR KEYS

Prestress Bars

Front View

Epoxy Shear Keys

Prestress
Bars

Elevation

• Prestress Bars hold the segments from bending / opening up.

• Shear keys resist the sliding force across the joint from SBG self wt.
Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 43
TEMPORARY PRESTRESS BARS & SHEAR KEYS

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 44

PRECAMBER / DEFLECTION CONTROL

 Deflection control for balanced cantilever bridge is an important step during

erection to ensure not only the two tips of the approaching cantilevers must
closely meet at the closure, but also the in-service long time profile of the
bridge must be smooth and in a position determined by design
 The software considers all time dependant effects, eg. concrete Elasticity
Modulus, creep, shrinkage, effective prestressing force with respect to time

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 45

PRECAMBER / DEFLECTION CONTROL

 Pre-camber is applied during construction to compensate for the deflection of

the structure under various loadings & prestressing , and due to time dependent
effects.
 The cantilever segment is built upwards/downwards in anticipation that it will
deflect/camber when more subsequent segments have been casted and stressed.
 Levels of deck at all segments are taken by Surveyor for each casting of segment
to monitor actual movement of cantilevers, for future casting level adjustment.
Levels are usually to be taken in the early morning to minimize effect of heat by
the sun (time must be consistent).

Precast SBG Design & Construction by Ir Dr Low HF (BRIS2022) 46

 THANK YOU

MY CONTACT EMAIL:
lowhf@osdconsultants.com.my

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