Influence of climate change on thermal stresses in concrete box girders

<p>The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of climate change on the thermal and structural response of concrete box girders. An advanced finite element platform was used to model a concrete box girder and analyze the additional thermal stresses that result from climate change. Meteorological data for future climate scenarios in Toronto, Canada was used as input in a thermal model to simulate the temperature distribution within the bridge deck. The temperature distribution was then used as input in a structural model of the bridge, to determine the resulting thermal stresses. The results show increases in tensile and compressive stresses as well as increased bridge movements. This study highlights the importance of explicitly considering climate change to achieve more robust bridge codes, particularly when it comes to thermal effects.</p>