Load-Carrying Capacity of End Cross-Girder with Inspection Holes in Composite Bridge

A severely corroded end cross-girder is found occasionally, while the girder is expected to play an important role under seismic loading. The prevention of the end cross-girder against corrosion is therefore crucial in the bridge maintenance. To this end, the present research aims at improving its inspectability by installing inspection holes in the end cross-girder. The influences of the holes on the load-carrying capacity are then studied, to be specific. It is revealed that the inspection holes would reduce the load-carrying capacity considerably; the degree of the influence varies with the shape, the position and the size of the hole. Six reinforcement methods are therefore considered. Full recovery of the capacity turns out to be possible if the inspection hole is the same size as that of the standard opening (manhole) in a steel bridge structure, while it is not an easy task when the inspection hole is larger.