Hybrid bridge deck of timber and corrugated steel plates

Abstract: Over the years, hybrid structures composed of timber and steel have become a potential alternative to conventional solutions. Recently, corrugated steel plate (CSP) has become more and more popular in structures such as shear walls and roofs due to its favorable mechanical properties. However, all current research of bridge deck with CSPs has focused on the combination of CSPs and concrete, and there is a lack of studies on corresponding hybrid structures combining timber and CSP. The aim of this thesis is therefore to conduct an investigation of the possibilities to design a novel timber-CSP bridge deck. The more specific objective of this thesis is to investigate the structural behavior and performance of timber-CSP hybrid bridge deck through laboratory tests and finite element simulations. The research focuses on the feasibility and reliability of the developed models and aims to provide insights for the design and analysis of this novel bridge deck. The feasibility and reliability of finite element modelling was validated by the laboratory tests. Afterwards, parametric studies of full-scale bridge decks were conducted to investigate the influence of the thicknesses of its timber boards and CSPs, and the positions of the load-bearing surface. The results reveal that an increase of thickness of the members significantly enhances the load-bearing capacity and stiffness of the bridge deck. Moreover, a simplified method is proposed to assist engineers in estimating the resistance of bridge deck against central load, including the bending moments and the maximum deflection. Finally, the requirements of the designed bridge deck were checked and discussed.