Production of the Test Timber-UHPC Composite Bridge

Abstract

This article presents the results of the experimental development of a unique bridge system consisting of timber beams connected with bridge deck segments made of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC). The article deals with the production of a full-scale prototype of the timber-concrete composite structure and with an execution of a subsequent load test. The test structure was 3.30 m wide and 10.24 m long and was designed as two beams made of glue laminated timber connected with subtle bridge deck segments with a thickness only 60 mm and with a typical length of 1.50 m. The aim of the production of the test structure was to check some production details and procedures and subsequently to verify the behavior of the composite structure under load by the load test. The load test was performed with a theoretical span of 9.50 m as a four-point bending test to failure. After the overall load test was done, some bridge deck segments were cut from the structure and a load test of the bridge deck in transversal direction were executed to verify the behavior and the load-bearing capacity of the bridge deck segments made of UHPC.