ANALYSIS OF PIER CAPS AND WELL CAPS

Abstract

Pier caps and well caps in a bridge are important due to their functional requirements. A pier cap transfers the load from bearings to the pier while a. well cap transfers the load from pier to the well foundation. In case of pier caps, the complex geometry of pier cap, unsymmetrical loading over the bearings and typical boundary conditions lead to a complex problem for analysis. Similarly, well 'caps also present a complex problem. These caps are to be treated as deep beams due to their geometrical proportions. As the design of a structure depends on its stress distribution, it is essential to adopt a method of analysis which will give a more accurate stress distribution as well as better insight into its behaviour. This dissertation deals with G-D and 3-D analysis of various types of pier caps and well caps using finite element method. The results obtained by using the finite element method have been compared with those obtained by using the conventional method in order to assess the limitation of the latter. In this dissertation, 2-D and 3-D analysis of double canti-lever pier cap over circular pier, 2-D analysis of four-armed cnntilcvered pier cap over circular pier end 3-D cnc lysis of rectang.- ular pier cep over rectangular pier are presentedo Further, 2-D analysis ofwell cap supporting cellular type pier$. 2-D analysis of well cop with and without top plug and 3-D analysis of well cap supporting rectangular pier are also presented. Tho results indicto that thL f:inito element method gives economic^1 design cs comp^.red to the convcnt1on^l method. It Is ^lso noticed that in cortin c,'.sesy the convontionwl method gives unsafe stress distribution,