PBL Shear Connectors Research Articles

A COMPARISON OF SHEAR STRENGTH CALCULATION METHODS FOR PERFOBOND LEISTE SHEAR CONNECTORS USING THE CONTROLLED VARIABLE METHOD

This paper provides a brief overview of the current research on timber-concrete composite beams and PBL shear connectors. Five representative calculation formulas were selected, and the effects of concrete strength and opening diameter on the ultimate bearing capacity of shear connectors were compared and analyzed using the controlled variable method. This study can serve as the basis for further optimizing the design parameters of composite beams.

Shear behavior on PBL shear connector with a relatively thin perforated steel plate in steel-UHPC composite bridge deck system

Recently, a new steel-UHPC composite deck system is used for long-span bridges, which uses the perfobond rib (PBL) shear connectors with a thinner steel perforated plate. Because the steel perforated plate is thinner, its failure mode may be different from that of thicker steel perforated plate. To explore the shear behavior of PBL shear connectors in this new composite deck system, five sets of ten specimens are tested in this study. The parameters of the hole diameter, D, the traverse rebar diameter, ds, and the perforated steel plate thickness, ts are considered. The failure modes, strain development versus loading, and some mechanical indexes are discussed. The experiments show that the PBL shear connector with a thinner perforated steel plate causes a shear failure, while the thicker one results in bending or bending-shear failure. According to FE (finite element) analysis, the orthogonal analysis is conducted to investigate the effect of each parameter and their interaction on the mechanical behavior. It is found that the ultimate capacity and stiffness are the most sensitive to the diameter of the traverse rebar, ds, and the perforated steel plate thickness, ts. In addition, a theoretical formula is proposed to predict the bearing capacity of PBL shear connectors. The proposed formula considers the relationship between shear strain and the dilation angle for the first time. The results show a good agreement with the experiments. The study in this paper provides a good reference for the application and optimization of PBLs with a thinner steel perforated plate in new steel-UHPC composite deck system.

Experimental and numerical investigation on flexural behavior of steel-UHPC composite slabs with PBL shear connectors

A full-scale flexural test was conducted to investigate the flexural and cracking behavior of Steel-UHPC Composite Slabs (SUCS) with PBL (Perfobond rib) shear connectors, with a focus on analyzing the impact of the tensile reinforcement ratio on flexural performance. During the test, the flexural performance of SUCS was assessed through measurements of strain, mid-span deflection, relative slip, crack width, and crack morphology. A section analysis was performed to predict the flexural and cracking behaviors of SUCS, which was further verified by experimental results. The results show that the PBL shear key effectively ensures the overall force of steel plate and UHPC plate, resulting in good ductility of SUCS under negative bending moment. As tensile reinforcement ratio increased from 0.89 % to 1.69 %, the cracking load remained stable while the yield load and ultimate load demonstrated significant improvements of 54 % and 57 %, respectively. The cross-section analysis indicated that with the increment in tensile reinforcement ratio, the contribution of tensile reinforcement to flexural capacity increased, whereas the contribution of UHPC to tensile capacity notably decreased. The equivalent uniform stress reduction coefficient of the UHPC's tensile zone, determined through simplified negative flexural bearing capacity, was calculated to be 0.87. The failure mode of negative flexural resistance differs significantly from positive flexural resistance, as it involves the breaking of the tensile steel bar.

Tensile resistance and shear-tension interaction relationship of T-type perfobond rid shear connectors

This study aims to investigate the mechanical performance of T-type perfobond rib (T-type PBL) shear connectors under complex load cases. Initially, the experimental tests were conducted and finite element analyses (FEA) were performed. Subsequently, a parametric study was carried out to assess the impact of geometric parameters on tensile resistance and the effect of tension ratio on the shear-tension interaction resistance of T-type PBL connectors. Finally, based on the test and FEA results, prediction methods were developed for evaluating the tensile resistance and shear-tension interaction relationship of T-type PBL connectors. The test results showed that the pull-out of the concrete below the flange led to the failure of T-type PBL shear connectors under tension. The concrete failure angles were approximately 33°. The failure under shear was manifested as concrete collapse and connector yielding. The ultimate capacity decreased with the increase in tension ratio. The specimens with tension ratios of 25%, 45%, and 65% decreased 7.9%, 16.3%, and 24.2%, respectively, compared to the specimen under pure shear. The parametric study suggested that the rib height and perforated rebars were the main factors impacting the tensile resistance of T-type PBL shear connectors. When the tension ratio reached 55% of the ultimate, the failure mode of the shear connectors was dominated by the pull-out of the concrete. The tensile resistance evaluation formula was verified by the test and FEA results, demonstrating an average calculated-to-FE-results ratio of 0.99 with a standard deviation of 0.04. The suggested shear and tension interaction relationship for T-type PBL connectors had reliable predictive outcomes, with a coefficient of variation of 0.02. This study could provide guidance for the design of T-type PBL shear connectors and promote the application in long-span composite structures.

Study on shear performance of discontinuous PBL connectors with double holes

Discontinuous perfobond rib shear (PBL) connectors can be applied to fabricated steel-concrete composite beams. In this paper, six push-out specimens were designed to explore the shear performance of PBL under static and repeated loads. Four specimens were used for static push-out test. The remaining two were used for fatigue push-out test. The static load test mainly considers the influence of concrete at steel plate end and post-cast strip on the shear bearing capacity, initial shear stiffness and load-slip curve of discontinuous PBL shear connectors. On the basis of the test results, the calculating formulas of the shear capacity and shear stiffness of discontinuous PBL connectors considering the influence of end bearing, bond group effect and post-cast strip are proposed. The predicted results of the formula are close to the experiment. From the fatigue test results, it is found that the fatigue performance of above specimens with C50 and UHPC is better than that with studs, but the fatigue resistance of discontinuous PBL connectors with UHPC is not increased in proportion to the shear capacity. In addition, the residual slip and shear stiffness of PBL specimens after cyclic loading are related to fatigue load amplitude.

Bearing capacity analysis of perfobond rib shear connectors in steel-concrete composite structures

Perfobond rib shear connectors (PBL shear connectors) are a commonly used method for connecting steel beams to concrete slabs. However, the varying factors of material strength, geometric parameters, and testing methods lead to notable differences in theoretical models, thereby requiring further research for accurate prediction of bearing capacity. In this paper, the load transfer process and damage evolution mechanism during loading of PBL shear connectors are reviewed. Twenty-five sets of single-ribbed plate test data, consisting of both conventional type and deep-buried type tests, have been selected for analysis. The effects of concrete strength, hole area, transverse rebar area, and steel plate thickness on the bearing capacity have been quantitatively analyzed using linear regression. The analysis results demonstrate that an increase in concrete strength, hole area, transverse rebar area, and steel plate thickness by one unit results in a corresponding increase in bearing capacity by 1.034%, 0.011%, 0.102%, and 0.214% for the conventional type of PBL shear connectors, respectively. An increase in concrete strength, hole area and transverse rebar area by one unit results in a corresponding increase in bearing capacity by 0.511%, 0.015% and 0.094% for the deep-buried type of PBL shear connectors, respectively. Additionally, taking theoretical analysis into account, a predictive equation for the bearing capacity of both conventional type and deep-buried type specimens is proposed. The accuracy and reliability of the proposed equation are verified through comparison with experimental results.

Hysteresis shear-slip model of PBL shear connectors under cyclic loading

This paper proposes a hysteresis model for the perfobond rib shear connector (known as a PBL shear connector) to decrease its mechanical behavior under cyclic loading. A total of 12 PBL shear connector specimens were designed with variable dimensions. The hysteresis curves of all specimens were obtained under cyclic displacement. On the basis of the results, a four-line skeleton curve is developed to reproduce the skeleton curve. Equations for calculating the featured shear resistances and slippages are then proposed, and energy-based cyclic deteriorations are adopted. Four types of deteriorations are specified: fundamental strength; post-peak strength; unloading stiffness; and accelerated reloading slip. Double friction-slip axes are developed to reproduce the pinching effect. According to a comparison of the calculated and tested results, the proposed model can reproduce the hysteresis model of PBL shear connectors under cyclic loading.

Behavior of hybrid FRP-concrete-steel double-skin tubular beams with ultra-high strength concrete and PBL shear connectors under bending

Hybrid double-skin tubular beams (DSTBs) with the external fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube-annular concrete-inner steel tube configuration have excellent mechanical performance and corrosion resistance, but are prone to slip problems. In this study, perfobond shear connectors (PBLs) are proposed to reduce the slip between infilled concrete and inner steel tube. Moreover, using ultra-high strength concrete (UHSC) as the annular material could further improve the structural performance and magnify the lightweight merit of hybrid DSTBs, while hybrid DSTBs with PBLs and UHSC have not been investigated yet. To this end, three-point bending experiments were conducted to hybrid DSTBs with PBLs and UHSC to study the flexural behavior. The mid-span load–deflection curves revealed a three-branched behavior: (i) a first linear ascending branch up to the first yielding at the extreme tension fiber of inner steel tube; (ii) a transition branch to the peak load with a significant slope deterioration when infilled concrete in the compression side reached the unconfined failure strain; (iii) a post-peak residual branch characterized by progressive load reductions over a number of load plateaus. The adoption of UHSC could significantly delay the plastic hinge formation in inner steel tube, and meanwhile improve the bond with PBLs. Thus, the slips between infilled concrete and inner steel tube were minimal (less than 0.2 mm) for most of the specimens, except for those with foamy sheet insertions between PBLs (at around 1 mm). In the end, the design loads of the hybrid DSTBs were predicted by a sectional analysis with high level of accuracy (average error at 6%).

Experimental study on interfacial shear behavior of PBL shear connector deeply embedded in UHPC

To analyze the shear capacity and failure mechanism of perfobond strip (PBL) connectors in the junction of the steel-UHPC composite pedestrian truss bridge, this study conducted monotonic loading push-out tests on four specimens of PBL shear connector deeply embedded in UHPC and one specimen in normal concrete. The research primarily investigated the interfacial shear behavior of PBL connectors under static load, focusing on the effects of different concrete types, embedded depth of PBL connector, and diameter of transverse reinforcing bar, especially in the situation with a deep 240 mm embedded depth of PBL connectors. The results showed that the shear capacity of PBL connector in UHPC was 76% higher than that in normal concrete specimen. For UHPC specimens with 240 mm embedded depth, the failure mode of the specimens with 16 mm and 25 mm transverse reinforcing bar diameter was steel plate destroy while the specimens with 12 mm transverse reinforcing bar diameter showed transverse reinforcing bar fracture. Reducing the embedded depth of the PBL connector with 12 mm diameter transverse reinforcing bar increased the initial stiffness and shear capacity of PBL connector, but decreased the ductility. In this study, the experimental results were compared with several calculation equations, and a modified equation was proposed for PBL connectors deeply embedded in UHPC based on the force transferring mechanism and different failure modes. The predicted results were in good agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, some design suggestions for PBL connectors deeply embedded in UHPC were concluded in this paper.

Experimental investigation on mechanical behavior of T-type perfobond rid shear connectors under combined shear and tension

The stress of shear connectors becomes more complicated as the span length of steel-concrete composite bridges increases. To bear the great shear and uplift forces, a T-type perfobond rib (T-type PBL) shear connector with sufficient stiffness and ductility is proposed. While the shear behavior of T-type PBL connectors has been evaluated in previous studies, its mechanical performance under combined shear and tension is not well understood due to the particular shape and numerous impact factors. Therefore, one pull-out test considering pure tension and seven modified push-out tests considering combined shear and tension were carried out to investigate the failure mode, bearing capacity, and load-slip behavior of T-type PBL connectors under combined actions. The pull-out test was performed to determine the tensile resistance, followed by a series of modified push-out tests with constant horizontal tension to investigate the structural behaviors. Additionally, the effects of the rib height, flange width, and hole numbers were evaluated. Based on the test results, conical failure surfaces formed from the flange of the T-type PBL to the concrete surface for all specimens, and the concrete failure angle was approximately 32°. The bearing capacity of the specimen improved by 26% when the perfobond rib height increased from 100 mm to 120 mm, but the flange width barely had any effect. The capacity of 1-hole specimen dropped by 20% while 2-hole specimen increased by 8% compared to the standard specimen, which may relate to the distance between adjacent holes. Increasing the rib height by 25% and 50% reduced the initial relative slip (S90) by 30% and 32%, respectively, indicating the improvement in initial stiffness. Generally, the pull-out resistance of the T-type PBL shear connector was enhanced by increasing the flange width, rib height, and number of holes. An evaluation equation considering the hole number and hole spacing was suggested for the bearing capacity of T-type PBL shear connectors under the combined actions. The validity was verified by test results, with a calculated-to-test-result ratio of 1.12 and standard deviation of 0.15. This study could enhance the understanding of the behavior of T-type PBL connectors under the combined actions, and promote the potential application in long-span composite bridge decks.

Design and key construction technology of steel-concrete-steel sandwich composite pylon for a large span cable-stayed bridge

This paper introduces a new type of steel-concrete composite pylon that has been applied to Nanjing Fifth Yangtze River Bridge (a three-pylon cable-stayed bridge with a main span of 600 m). For this new type of pylon, the steel shells are connected with concrete through PBL shear connectors and studs, and the inner steel shells are connected with the outer steel shells by angle steels. Numerical analysis and full-scale model tests show that the pylon structure exhibits excellent mechanical properties and construction performance. The application of BIM technology, the research and development of special spreaders and construction platforms ensure the precise installation of structures. Highly factory-manufactured modular assembly of the reinforced steel shell structure can effectively reduce the intensity and difficulty of on-site operations, and improve the quality of the project, with low construction risks. Whereas, the successful application of this steel-concrete-steel sandwich composite pylon marks the formation of a complete set of construction technology of steel-concrete-steel sandwich composite pylon, which can be widely used in similar bridges.

Experimental and analytical investigation on shear mechanism of steel-UHPC composite T-Perfobond shear connectors

This paper proposed a T-Perfobond shear connectors to increase the end bearing area of the intermittently arranged PBL shear connectors. The failure modes, load-slip curves, and strains of perforating rebar of T-Perfobond shear connectors were discussed. Following that, a finite element analysis (FEA) model was established to investigate the influences of design parameters on the behavior of T-Perfobond shear connectors. A theoretical shear bearing capacity prediction method on T-Perfobond shear connectors was proposed, which can consider the effect of end concrete bearing pressure and the reduction coefficient of welding effect. The results showed that the specimens failed in three stages with bond damage, concrete dowel fracture and end concrete crushing. The shear bearing capacity of T-Perfobond shear connectors increased with the increase of web plate thickness and decreased with the increase of flange plate thickness. The hole diameter weakened the web plate strength and reduced the stability of T-Perfobond shear connectors. The theoretical predictions agreed well with the experimental and numerical calculation results. This study can be used to guide the design and application of shear connectors of steel–concrete composite beams.

Structural performance of orthotropic Steel-Concrete continuous composite decks with larger U-ribs and PBL shear connectors

This study investigates the structural performance of the OSCCCDs with larger U-ribs and PBL shear connectors. Four OSCCCDs with larger U-ribs and PBL shear connector specimens were fabricated and tested under a static load, in which the experimental parameters were the spacing of the PBL shear connector and the spacing of the holes of the PBL shear connectors. Parametric analysis via finite element models was also carried out to explore the effects of the reinforcement ratio, the thickness of the steel plate, the thickness of the U-ribs, the thickness of the concrete slab, and the hole diameter of the PBL shear connector on the structural performance. It can be concluded from the experimental and numerical results that the OSCCCDs exhibited higher bearing capacity and better ductility. The OSCCCDs exhibited flexure failure at the mid-span and diagonal tension failure at the intermediate supports. The thickness of the U-ribs and the thickness of the concrete slab showed the highest impact on the initial stiffness and ultimate load of the OSCCCDs, followed by the spacing of the PBL shear connectors and the spacing of holes in the PBL shear connectors. The reinforcement ratio, the thickness of the steel plate, and the hole diameter of the PBL shear connector had little influence on the initial stiffness and ultimate load of the OSCCCDs. Finally, a simplified flexural analysis method can be proposed to accurately predict the elastic deflection and ultimate bending moment of the OSCCCDs under the service loads, respectively. The maximum absolute discrepancies of the elastic deflection and ultimate bending moment of the theoretical results are 8.2% and 12.0% by validating against the experimental and numerical results within the investigated ranges of parameters, respectively.

Residual mechanical properties of composite beams with PBL connectors under fatigue loads

Experimental and theoretical calculation approaches were used to explore the residual mechanical properties of steel–concrete composite beams with Perfobond rib shear (PBL) connectors after fatigue loading. Six test beams were designed and fabricated including four PBL connector beams and two stud shear connector beams. The static performance, fatigue life, and failure mode under static and fatigue action were compared among the beam samples. The fatigue properties and residual mechanical properties of the beams with PBL connectors were then investigated under different fatigue load amplitudes. A calculation model for the post-fatigue residual bearing capacity of the PBL connector beam was established based on the test results and the theory of material residual strength. Compared with the stud composite beam, the PBL connector composite beam shows better static strength and fatigue resistance under the same loading conditions. The fatigue load amplitude has a greater impact on the fatigue performance of the PBL connector composite beam than the stud composite beam; when the fatigue load amplitude is 28% of the ultimate bearing capacity, the fatigue life of the composite beam is only 1.2 million loading times. The proposed calculation model of residual bearing capacity of composite beams with PBL connector yields results in accordance with experimental values, indicating that it has strong applicability. The results presented here may provide a workable reference for improving the design of steel–concrete composite beams with PBL shear connectors.

Flexural behavior of different types of steel-concrete composite decks with perfobond rib or head stud shear connectors

With the advent of long-span bridges, steel-concrete composite decks are increasingly concerning structures to address the fatigue problem, wear of the surfacing, and corrosion of the steel decks. The different types of ribs result in the variety of the cross-sections of the composite decks. Thus, the flexural behavior of different types of steel-concrete composite decks with perfobond rib (PBL) or head stud shear connectors was investigated in this study. The different types of composite decks included steel-concrete composite decks (SCCDs), open-rib stiffened steel-concrete composite decks (OSCCDs), and U-rib stiffened steel-concrete composite decks (USCCDs). For this purpose, the static flexural tests of two USCCDs with PBL or head stud shear connectors were conducted. Parametric analyses were also carried out via finite element models to investigate the effects of the number of ribs, the thickness of the ribs, the thickness of the steel plate, the thickness of the concrete slab, and the spacing of the shear connectors on the flexural behavior of the SCCDs, OSCCDs, and USCCDs with PBL or head stud shear connectors. The results indicated that the types of ribs showed significant influence on the flexural behavior of the composite decks. For the same type of shear connector, the flexural behavior of the USCCDs was significantly higher than that of the SCCDs and OSCCDs. Compared with the SCCDs with PBL or head stud shear connectors, the initial stiffness and ultimate load of the USCCDs with PBL or head stud shear connectors were increased by 314.2% and 354.5%, 62.2%, and 89.3%, respectively. The flexural behavior of the composite decks with PBL connections was larger than that of the composite decks with head stud shear connectors for one type of composite deck. The thickness of the concrete slab showed the highest impact on the flexural behavior of the composite decks, followed by the thickness of the rib, the number of ribs, and the spacing of the shear connector. The thickness of the steel plate showed a slight influence on the flexural behavior of the composite decks. The ultimate load of three types of composite decks with PBL or head stud shear connectors was increased by more than 46.5% when the thickness of the concrete slab increased from 80 mm to 120 mm. The reduction stiffness method considering the slip effect was proposed to accurately predict the elastic deflections of three types of composite decks. This study can provide some reference for the design and engineering application of the different types of composite decks.

A strength degradation model of PBL shear connectors under fatigue load

Perfobond rib shear connectors (PBL shear connectors) have been widely used in steel and reinforced concrete composite bridge. To investigate the degeneration law of the bearing capacity of PBL shear connectors after a number of fatigue loading times, both static test on one specimen and fatigue test on six specimens were performed. The failure mode, ultimate bearing capacity and load-slippage curves were emphatically focused in static test, while residual performances, including the residual strength, residual slip and shear stiffness of PBL shear connectors after a certain number of fatigue loading were also studied. Furthermore, influence of number of cycles on the residual strength and residual slip of PBL shear connector specimen within the lifetime was analyzed. Test results showed that residual strength of PBL connector decreased nonlinearly with increasing loading times, and residual slip development showed a three phrase trend of “fast, slow and then fast”, but the shear stiffness was basically constant during whole loading process. Based on the residual strength theory and elastic foundation theory, residual static bearing capacity of PBL shear connectors after a number of fatigue loading times was proposed. By comparison, it was found that the residual shear bearing capacity determined by proposed model agreed well with the experimental results, which would have a great significance to guarantee the safety of a structure and prevent secondary damages to a composite bridge during the service period.

Numerical evaluation of the perfobond (PBL) shear connector with transverse rebar using coupled rigid Body spring model (RBSM) and solid finite element method (FEM)

Numerical analyses focused on the detailed fracture process of concrete in a reinforced PBL shear connector with the transverse rebar subjected to a simple push-out test employing coupled RBSM and solid FEM model were performed to reveal the internal failure mechanism, quantitatively. The numerical model effectively captured the shear capacity and failure modes of test results. It was investigated as the shear resistance of the concrete dowel was enhanced against the increased diameter of the transverse rebar, the shear capacity was improved consequently, and the deformed behaviors transformed from shear to splitting failure. The internal failure process of a specimen with transverse rebar was highlighted; the normal stress distribution along the transverse rebar exhibited the presence of the compressive zones in the concrete dowel region due to the formation of compression struts and compressive stresses transferred from anchored parts of the transverse rebar towards the concrete dowel region and got localized around the concrete dowel and in side concrete blocks and reproduced the enhanced shear capacity compared with specimen without transverse rebar. It was evaluated that the change in shear capacity was similar to the change in axial force of the transverse rebar. The shear capacity of the PBL shear connector increased as the axial force increased, while the inverse response against rebar bending moment was observed and determined that the main contribution towards the increase in the shear capacity of the PBL shear connector was from the axial force of the transverse rebar.

Failure Mode of Orthotropic Two-way Composite Slab under Concentrated Load

Ordinary reinforced concrete two-way slabs generally suffer from punching failure under concentrated loads, which is a brittle failure and unfavorable to the structures. The composite slabs with steel sheets and PBL (perfobond rib) shear connectors have been applied for reducing the damage to bridge decks from vehicles. Although it is widely used on bridges, the failure mode of the orthotropic two-way composite slabs has rarely been studied when subject to concentrated loads. Accordingly, static loading tests with concentrated forward central load was carried out on 4 two-way composite slabs, in which the effects of the thickness of steel bottom sheets and concrete plates and spacing of PBL shear connectors on mechanical properties were investigated. The test results show that about 12% of the ultimate bearing capacity decreases when the perfobond ribs are spaced farther apart from 180 mm to 240 mm or the thickness of steel bottom sheets is reduced from 10 mm to 8 mm. And the bearing capacity drops by 38.2% when the thickness of concrete plates decreases by 30 mm. The steel-concrete composite slabs exhibit clear bidirectional force characteristics during the loading process, with the main forced direction being along the perfobond ribs, which is related to the stiffness ratio of the two directions. The two-way composite slabs have high bearing capacity and ductility, with obvious signs before failure. The specimens continue to bear the load after local punching failure of concrete near the loading point, which shows the features of both bending and punching failure. Based on the test results, a bending punching failure mode is proposed, which provides a new approach for the calculation of ultimate bearing capacity. An analytical calculation method for ultimate bearing capacity of orthotropic two-way composite slabs based on the failure mode above is derived with yield line theory and plastic theory, which is in excellent agreement with the tested results.

Investigation on shear behavior of studs and PBL shear connectors in steel-concrete hybrid bridge girder

Due to the excellent properties of concrete and steel, steel–concrete composite structures have a wide range of applications in civil engineering. The most common shear connectors are the stud and perfobond rib (PBL) shear connectors, and there are a lot of studies on the shear behavior of stud and PBL shear connectors, respectively. But fewer studies were conducted on the combined shear behavior of both. This research presents experimental and numerical studies on the shear behavior of stud and PBL shear connectors. Test results show that the primary failure of the specimens is that the studs were sheared off, accompanied by concrete damage. The number of rows of shear connectors and the diameter of the transverse rebar can significantly affect the shear capacity. In contrast, the concrete dowel diameter has a limited impact on the shear capacity. Based on the validated finite element (FE) analysis, the effects of concrete strength, perforated plate thickness, and stud diameter on the shear capacity were parametrically investigated. The test and FE analysis results are compared with the existing equations of stud and PBL shear connectors. A combination most consistent with test and FE analysis results with discrepancies less than 5% is suggested for predicting the shear capacity of stud and PBL shear connectors.

Design and experimental study of a replaceable steel-UHPC composite bridge deck

This paper proposes a prefabricated orthotropic steel-UHPC composite bridge deck consisting of standard units, which could be assembled conveniently in-situ to avoid the traditional complicated steaming curing of UHPC with high temperature. The standard unit can also be replaced separately under conditions of failures or local damage. This composite bridge deck can thus convincingly mitigate the fatigue problem in the orthotropic steel deck and also the pavement damage in traditional steel bridges. A parametric study of the composite bridge deck is performed together with the PBL shear connector to determine a reasonable design of the deck structure. The effects of some key structural parameters, such as the UHPC layer thickness, the steel deck plate thickness, the spacing and stiffness of the open rib, and the size of the PBL shear connectors, are carefully studied by the finite element model analysis. Based on the determined deck design, a full-scale experiment study is further executed to investigate and demonstrate the performance of the proposed structure. Results show that the failure mode of the structure is the yielding of stiffening ribs, while the UHPC panel under a tensile state works well. Moreover, as a new cement-based composite material, UHPC exhibits the improved tensile strength and a strong ability to limit the width of cracks after the test load is removed.