Report No.: CCEER-90-1

Authors: M. "Saiid" Saiidi, E. "Manos" Maragakis, George Ghusn, Yang Jiang, and David Schwartz

Date: October 1990

Performing Organization:

Department of Civil Engineering/258

University of Nevada, Reno

Reno, Nevada 89557

Executive Summary:

This report presents the initial part of a study with the ultimate goal of identifying the impact of the transportation of spent nuclear fuel on highway bridges in the State of Nevada. With this ultimate goal in mind, several primary elements of the study were included. These were (1) the formation of a data base of highway bridges in Nevada, (2) methods of estimating the remaining life of a bridge system based on its current condition and future traffic, (3) strength of reinforced concrete bridge decks, (4) the use of modal testing for non-destructive evaluation of the existing condition of the bridge, and (5) the development of a general method for evaluation of the adequacy of highway bridges in carrying spent fuel traffic. Although some of these elements may not appear to directly relate to each other, they form segments of a comprehensive, long-term study which should eventually be integrated.

To form the data base, a powerful software called Smart was used. The bridges and culverts of a selected route in southern Nevada were incorporated in this data base. The data base can be expanded to include the bridge and culverts in all the possible routes in the State. The study on elements 2 and 3 was focused primarily on the collection of the state-of-the-art on these subjects. Many areas of needed research were identified. The modal testing analysis concentrated on detecting the delamination in reinforced concrete beams and slabs. Promising results were obtained which need to be substantiated in the laboratory. The method which was developed as part of the fifth element was attempted on an actual bridge in southern Nevada. Two field inspections were performed and a fairly detailed analysis of the bridge for nuclear fuel truck loads was conducted. An economic impact analysis was carried out. Due to a lack of complete information about the existing condition of the bridge, several scenarios were considered and a range of repair and retrofit cost was determined.

The results of the above studies can form the basis for a more comprehensive study that would address the above elements and other issues which are relevant to the adequacy of highway bridges and culverts (Summary by authors).