Welded-wire reinforcement versus random steel fibers in precast, prestressed concrete bridge girders

Abstract

Several experimental investigations have indicated that the shear capacity of fiber-reinforced ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) girders outperforms that of conventionally reinforced high-strength concrete girders. However, the exceptionally high material and production cost of fiber-reinforced UHPC girders limits its use in bridge applications. This paper presents the experimental work and cost analysis performed to evaluate the shear capacity and economics of using welded-wire reinforcement (WWR) in precast, prestressed high-performance concrete (HPC) bridge I-girders. The development of an economical, practical, and nonproprietary HPC is presented. Two full-scale American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Type II girders were designed according to the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications and fabricated using the developed mixture and Grade 80 (550 MPa) WWR. The shear testing of the 2 girders indicated that welded wire-reinforced HPC girders have shear capacity comparable to that of fiber-reinforced UHPC girders while being more economical. In addition, production of welded-wire-reinforced HPC girders complies with current industry practices and eliminates the mixing, consolidation, and curing challenges associated with production of fiber-reinforced UHPC girders.