INFLUENCING FACTOR ANALYSIS ON THE BEARING CAPACITY OF JOINTS IN PRECAST CONCRETE SEGMENTAL BRIDGE COLUMNS

To analyze the influencing factors of bearing capacity of joints in segmental columns, the numerical analysis method of mechanical properties of segmental columns was proposed. Comprehensive parametric analysis was then conducted to obtain the influence of the factors such as axial compression force, stirrup ratio, initial tension stress of prestressing tendons, and strength of mortar layer. The results indicated that: the stress features of the segmental columns in different stages could be satisfactorily reflected by the numerical analysis method under axial-flexure-shear coupling behavior; when the design axial compression ratio increased from 13% to 33%, the ultimate bearing capacity of the joints in coventionally reinforced concrete segmental columns increased by 40.3%, and the ultimate bearing capacity of the joints in prestressed concrete segmental columns increased by 17.8%; increasing the initial prestressing stress of prestressing tendons could improve the bearing capacity of joints to a lesser degree; when the strength grade of the mortar layer decreased from C80 to C40, the ultimate bearing capacity of the joints decreased by 19.7%.