Torsional Safety of Highway Traffic Signal and Signage Support Structures
PI: Andre Barbosa (OSU), andre.barbosa@oregonstate.edu
Dates: 12/16/2015-12/15/2016
Status: Completed
Project Information
Final Technical Report
The goal of this research is to study the load transfer of axially loaded drilled shafts in torsion and to evaluate existing methods used to design drilled shaft under torsional loading. This work will provide necessary data for tuning the design methods as the torsional capacity of these shafts will be evaluated, including torsional load transfer. Existing design procedures will be investigated, as will some of the newer approaches that have been developed but not yet validated.
The research results will be compared to existing methods obtained from the literature review. Recommendations will be proposed regarding the appropriate use of either existing design formulas or for new formulations developed to best estimate torsional safety (resistance and rotation displacement behavior) based on the test results to support increased loading that traffic structures have been subjected to. The project focuses on traffic structures such as signal and sign poles. These structures, combined with longer arm lengths, have seen an increase in the torsional to bending moment forces that they support. This has led to torsion loading controlling the foundation design for some of these structures, which had not been the case before for these types of structures. This focus means that our research is particularly relevant to PacTrans theme #3: Technological Impacts of Safety.
