Published: April 2015
Report number: cmr15-008
Project number: TR201408
Author(s): Omar I. Abdelkarim, Ahmed Gheni, Sujith Anumolu, Song Wang, and Mohamed ElGawady, PhD
Performing organization: Missouri University of Science and Technology
Abstract: This report presents the behavior of hollow-core fiber reinforced polymer-concrete-steel columns (HC-FCS) under combined axial-flexural as well as vehicle collision loads. The HC-FCS column consists of a concrete wall sandwiched between an outer fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tube and an inner steel tube. Four large-scale columns including a conventionally reinforced concrete (RC) column having solid cross section and three HC-FCS columns were investigated during this study. The proposed model was able to predict the behaviors of the investigated columns with good accuracy. The AASHTO-LRFD design force was found to be non-conservative when the column was collided with heavy vehicles of a weight more than 35 kips or high-speed vehicle more than 70 mph. A new equation for estimating the equivalent static force (ESF) based on the vehicle’s mass and velocity was developed. This approach will allow Departments of Transportation (DOTs) to design different bridge columns to different impact force demands depending on the anticipated truckloads and velocities. In general, the PDF values of the HC-FCS columns were lower than those of the RC column when they were subjected to vehicle collision.
