Composite structural member with longitudinal structural haunch

Abstract

A composite structural member with a longitudinally extending structural haunch. The composite structural member comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending girders with molded sections disposed thereon. The molded section comprises a molded deck portion having a plurality of longitudinally extending structural haunches extending downwardly therefrom. Each haunch is disposed on a corresponding girder. The haunches are molded around shear connectors attached to the girders. The resulting structure has greater strength properties than a corresponding prior art structure having no haunch, the same deck thickness and substantially the same overall height and girder weight.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A structural apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of girders extending in a longitudinal direction, said girders being spaced from one another in a transverse direction with respect to said girders;    a molded section disposed above said girders, said molded section comprising: 
 a deck portion disposed at least partially above said girders; and  
 a plurality of longitudinally extending, structural haunches extending downwardly from said deck portion, each haunch being attached to a corresponding girder.  
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said deck portion is made of concrete.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said deck portion and said haunches are integrally molded.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said deck portion and said haunches are made of concrete.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a shear connector attached to each of said girders; 
 wherein, said haunches are molded around corresponding shear connectors.  
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising a plurality of hat bars adjacent to said shear connectors.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein each of said hat bars has an upper portion which extends into, and is molded in, said deck portion.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein a depth of said haunches is greater than about 4 inches.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said haunches have a substantially constant depth.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said girders are I-beams.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said girders are T-beams.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising a shear connector attached to a web portion of said T-beams; 
 wherein, said haunches are molded around corresponding shear connectors.  
 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a hat bar molded in at least one of said haunches.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising a longitudinally extending bar attached to said hat bar.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein: 
 said girders are T-beams; and  
 one of said rods is disposed on each side of a central web portion of said T-beams.  
 
     
     
         16 . A structural apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced girders extending in a longitudinal direction;    a shear connector attached to each of said girders;    a molded section disposed above said girders, each molded section comprising: 
 a deck portion forming an upper surface of the apparatus; and  
 a plurality of substantially constant depth haunches disposed below said deck portion, each haunch corresponding to one of said girders and molded around said shear connectors attached to each corresponding girder.  
   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said deck portion and haunch are integrally formed of a moldable material.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said moldable material is concrete.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising hat bars adjacent to said shear connectors.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said hat bars have an upper portion which extend at least partially into, and are at least partially molded into, said deck portion.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein a depth of said haunches is greater than about 4 inches.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said girders are I-beams.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein said shear connectors are attached to flanges of said I-beams.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said girders are T-beams.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein said shear connectors are attached to a central web portion of said T-beams.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25  further comprising a hat bar straddling said central web portion.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26  further comprising a longitudinally extending bar attached to said hat bar.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein there is one of said longitudinally extending bars disposed on opposite sides of said central web portion.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 16  further comprising a hat bar disposed in at least one of said haunches.  
     
     
         30 . A structural apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of girders extending in a longitudinal direction, said girders being spaced from one another in a transverse direction with respect to said girders;    a molded section disposed above said girders, said molded section comprising: 
 a deck portion disposed at least partially above said girders; and  
 a plurality of longitudinally extending haunches extending downwardly from said deck portion, each haunch being attached to a corresponding girder;  
   wherein, a thickness of said deck portion, a height of said haunch and a height and weight of said girders are selected such that the structure has an ultimate resisting moment greater than an ultimate resisting moment of a structure having a deck portion with substantially the same thickness, no haunch and substantially the same overall height.    
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30  wherein said deck portion is made of concrete.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 30  wherein said deck portion and said haunches are integrally molded.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein said deck portion and said haunches are made of concrete.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 30  further comprising a shear connector attached to each of said girders; 
 wherein, at least said haunches molded around said shear connector.  
 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34  further comprising a plurality of hat bars adjacent to said shear connectors.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein each of said hat bars has an upper portion which extends into, and is molded in, said deck portion.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein a depth of said haunches is greater than about 4 inches.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein: 
 said girders are I-beams; and  
 said shear connectors are attached to a flange of said I-beams.  
 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein: 
 said girders are T- beams; and  
 said shear connectors are attached to a web portion of said T-beams.  
 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 30  wherein said haunches have a substantially constant height.  
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 30  further comprising a hat bar disposed in at least one of said haunches.  
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41  further comprising a longitudinally extending bar attached to said hat bar.  
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 42  wherein: 
 said girders are T-beams; and  
 one of said longitudinally extending bars is disposed on each side of a central web portion of said T-beams.