Case-study of lateral instability of a long-span prestressed concrete girder during lifting

Abstract

Improvements in concrete prefabrication technology makes the use of long-span concrete girders more competitive compared to other alternatives. However, the weight of the element is determining factor in transportation and lifting operation costs, hence the width of the flanges tends to be reduced. This results in elements more prone to lateral instability. In this paper, a real case study of lateral instability of a long pre-cast girder is presented. A parametric analysis is carried out to determine the limits of application of the solution. The current provisions of the Model Code 2010 are analysed, and it is shown that they may be insufficient in some limit cases.