High Performance Precast Concrete NUDECK Panel System for Nebraska’s Skyline Bridge

Abstract

Most short to medium span bridge systems in the highway infrastructure of the United States are constructed of a composite beam/slab system. Bridge decks in North America are built primarily with cast-in-place (CIP) reinforced concrete. The poor condition of many bridges on U.S. roadways is due to the cracking and deterioration of these concrete decks. This article presents the NUDECK system, a full-depth precast/prestressed concrete bridge deck panel system developed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The authors first describe the problems encountered with the traditional CIP concrete decks, then discuss how the NUDECK system can address these problems. The NUDECK is pretensioned in the transverse direction and post-tensioned in the longitudinal direction. The system uses a combination of high performance precast concrete (little creep and shrinkage will occur after the deck is made composite with the girders) and two-way prestressing; these techniques ensure continued compression of the deck during its service life. The authors describe the Skyline Drive Bridge in Omaha, Nebraska, which demonstrates the successful implementation of the NUDECK system. The authors also note that this concrete deck panel system ensures fast, efficient construction, minimal traffic disruption, reduced long-term bridge maintenance, and yields a superior performance and an extended service life.