Precast Concrete Bridge Deck Panels Research Articles

Full scale testing of ultra-high performance concrete closure joint for prefabricated full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panel system

The main objective of the transverse joint between prefabricated full-depth precast concrete deck panels is to prevent the relative vertical movement between the panels and to transfer the loads between adjacent panels without cracking. The most common failure mode for these types of joints during their service life are the interface cracks. Such cracks serve as a conduit for ingress of water into the superstructure, leading to further deterioration requiring frequent maintenance. UHPC is known for its high tensile and bond strengths and is often considered as a joint fill material that has the potential to make this connection more durable. This research has been initiated to investigate if closure joints cast using UHPC material can compete with the performance of monolithic deck systems. The experimental program consisted of two full-scale concrete bridge decks that were statically tested until failure. One bridge deck was a jointed panel deck (JPD) consisting of two half-size panels connected by UHPC closure joint, while the control deck was a full panel deck (FPD) cast as one monolithic specimen. Both decks were connected to the steel girders with UHPC shear pockets that contained four to six shear studs welded to the girder flange. The JPD had rectangular tapered shear pockets and the FPD had circular shaped pockets. The results indicated that the JPD and FPD reached the same ultimate loads, and both failed via concrete punching at the load point situated adjacent to the closure joint of JPD. The results demonstrated that using UHPC closure joint resulted in similar performance and behaviour under loading as the monolithic deck. The interfacial failure was not indicated even at ultimate loads. This confirms the ability of the UHPC closure joint to transfer the load to the adjacent panel. The results also indicated the use of circular or rectangular pockets led to similar behaviours.

The influence of prestress level on the behavior of prefabricated precast concrete bridge deck panel systems with different overlay thicknesses

The bond properties and the excellent performance of the applied protecting overlay in segmental bridge deck panels are essential to ensure the overall quality of the bridge system. This research investigates the role of deck panels overlaying in a prefabricated fully-depth precast bridge using the NLFEA simulation approach under various overlaying thicknesses and prestressing levels. Using the NLFEA approach helps reduce the required time, save cost, study the effect of more factors, and demonstrate any behavior at a given load value at a given position in the investigated system. The NLFEA simulation was firstly validated against a published experimental work, and then it was extended into thirty-two prefabricated full-depth bridge systems composed of precast panels under various prestressing levels. The studied prestressing levels were related to the minimum and maximum prestressing levels as follows; (1.38 MPa (σP, Min), 2.76 MPa (2σP, Min), 4.14 MPa (3σP, Min), and 5.52 MPa (σP, max = 4σP, Min)). In addition, the effect of overlaying thickness on the original bridge thickness was also studied (to/ts) of 0.00 (Without), 0.06, 0.12, 0.18, 0.24, 0.30, 0.36, and 0.42). It has been highlighted that concrete overlying has a significant role in improving the system's overall behavior due to its good bonding with the deck panel, including the stiffness, toughness, cracking load, ultimate strength, and ultimate deflection. In addition, the produced stress by the AASHTO HS20 truck is less than the bond strength at the overlying interface. The maximum and minimum practical values for the overlaying thickness were proposed under different prestressing levels, aiding in getting the guidance of mitigating the detachment problem under the effect of the AASHTO HS20 truck and impact loading.

Finite Element Investigation of Angle Ring Confinement for Clustered Large-size Stud Shear Connector in Full-Depth Precast Concrete Bridge Deck Panel

Full-Depth Precast Concrete (FDPC) bridge deck panel system, consisting of concrete deck and steel girders, has been used widely for highway and bridge construction due to rapid construction and replacement as well as in terms of economics. This system could integrate with clusters of large size headed-stud shear connectors for more significant connection, although larger composite actions were experienced. Therefore, a new angle steel ring confinement was introduced and tested by push-off samples for the most effective shear transfer. The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the push-off model with an in-depth investigation of non-linear concrete properties, boundary parameters, and different geometries of angle ring confinement was developed in this study. The FE models were verified with the push-off test in terms of loads, displacements, and failure stages. Nonlinear concrete material models: Concrete Damage (CD) and Drucker Prager (DP) were identified the different abilities either for predicting initial cracks, or determining maximum resistance and critical failure, respectively. The thickness of the angle and the sizes of hook bars were investigated for the most effective aspects of the angle ring confinement. The results showed comparable stiffness and load resistance for various aspects. However, compatible geometries, either 5 mm thick angles with DB12 hook bars or 10 mm angles with DB25 hook bars, were suggested. The final non-linear FEA model was reliable for comparative studies to FDPC push-off with different confinement configurations.

Fatigue behavior of steel ring confinement for a clustered stud shear connector in full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panel

Steel L-angle ring confinement for a cluster of large size studs was found to be the effective resistance for transferring composite actions between the full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panels and steel girders. However, the behavior of this type of confinement is still unclear under the repetitive service load condition. The research investigates fatigue behavior of L-angle steel ring with hook bars for confining a cluster of 4 large size studs (31.8 mm diameter) in the composite full-depth concrete deck system under cyclic loads. Three Push-off specimens were loaded repetitively from the hydraulic jack to observe the fatigue resistance of the deck, the studs, and the ring confinement. The load ranges and cycles of loading were based on fatigue resistance of an individual stud in according to AASHTO LRFD 2012 design specification. The cyclic service loads were performed in a range from 0 to 294 kN (30 Ton-force) in about 3,000 cycles. With initial load ranges from 0 to 98 kN (10 Ton-force) in 1,000 cycles, the fatigue shear resistance could reach higher about 100% as seen by twice number of loading cycles. The loading cycles had more influence than the load range limits in terms of service life, and vice versa in term of resistance. Visual inspections detected initial cracks at the top surface of the concrete deck nearby the jacking zone. With higher load ranges, cracks were propagated to the concrete deck bear to the shear pocket, and finally caused permanent bent out to the ring confinement. However, the splits of concrete were still in place because of hook bars welded to the ring confinement.

Effects of fillet weld to large-size stud shear connector in full-depth precast bridge deck panel

Resistance of large size headed stud shear connectors 31.8 mm (1¼″) diameter for full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panel with steel girders depends on various factors. One important factor is the weld connection between studs and a steel girder. This research presents two main welding effects: (1) beveling shape of the base stud and (2) layers of fillet weld, which could result to effective composite actions. Three groups of specimens were tested varying among three different beveling sizes, and 2 or 3-layer of fillet weld. The first group (S1-N0) contains studs without beveling, the second (S2-N5) and third (S3-N10) groups consist of studs with 5 mm and 10 mm bevel cut widths in 45-degree, respectively. Each was subjected to shear force from the hydraulic jack until failure or bending limit. The studs in S2-N5, both 2 and 3-layer of fillet weld, could obtain maximum shear resistance up to 56.8 kN (5.8 Ton-force). The large relative displacement (up to 56 mm) was carried on the studs in S1-N0 in both 2 and 3-layer of fillet weld. The stiffness (Load/displacement ratio) of the S3-N10 group were about 5% higher than those without beveling in the S1-N0 and S2-N5 group, which were about 3.56 kN/mm (0.4 Ton-force/mm). In terms of failure mode, tearing out at the bottom of the shank studs was appeared in some samples in the S2-N5 and S3-N10 groups, but in the S1-N0 group.

Experimental Investigation of Steel Confinement of Clustered Large-Size Stud Shear Connector in Full-Depth Precast Bridge Deck Panel

The research focuses on investigating different types of steel confinements around a clustered large-size stud shear connector using in full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panel. The tests were based on Push-off test of two main groups of specimens: (1) the specimens with 4-stud shear connector where three different types of confinement were adopted including of O-ring confinement, Wire-mesh confinement, and L-angle confinement), and (2) the specimens with 8-stud shear connector where two different types of confinement were investigated including of Plate-ring confinement and L-angle confinement. The test results concluded that L-angle confinement type of the group of specimens with 4-Stud is the most sufficient type comparing between the different types of confinement in the same group. The maximum resistance was found at 41-ton, while as the displacement was found to be the most expansible and gradually reduced until the failure point. This means that the sign of failure can be noticeable prior to a collapse of the structure. For the group of specimens with 8-Stud, the resistance of this group was higher than the group of specimens with 4-Stud about 50 - 100% increase depending on each type of confinement. The maximum resistance was found for Plate-ring confinement type at 70-ton, which was agreed with the increment of the displacement about 20 - 50%. In comparison between specimens with 8-Stud, the Plate-ring confinement showed greater resistance and more relative displacement about 15% than the L-angle confinement.

Behavior of Prefabricated Full-Depth Precast Concrete Bridge Deck Panel System: Optimum Prestress Level

This paper reports on results and findings obtained from a nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) of a prototype prefabricated full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panel system under different level of prestressing force. The NLFEA were validated with experimental results obtained from full-scale testing of the prototype bridge system. The benefits of the NLFEA can be highly appreciated when visualizing the substantial time and cost savings, the ability to change any parameter of interest, and the capability of demonstrating any interesting response at any load value and at any location in the system. The most attractive results were: (1) the system is capable of withstanding and maintaining its integrity under eight times the simulated AASHTO truck service load without considerable reduction in its ultimate strength capacity and stiffness, (2) The NLFEA showed that the live load-induced bond stresses for 4 lines prestress level was almost 0.74 times the live load-induced bond stresses for 6 lines prestress level.

Evaluation of high performance cementitious grouts for connecting precast concrete bridge deck panels

The use of full-depth precast concrete panels for rehabilitation of bridge decks allows fast installation and all-weather construction. Typically, precast panels are prefabricated in a well-controlled environment, resulting in strong and durable products. Undoubtedly, they will perform well under the traffic loading and weathering. However, the panel joints that are closed later with grout pour may degrade prematurely, leading to a less desirable composite action. Obviously, the lack of overall system performance causes concerns that limit the wider application of this innovative construction method. Conventionally, cementitious grouts, epoxy mortars or polymer concretes are used for the closure pour. In general, epoxy mortars or polymer concretes have extremely low permeability and dry shrinkage, as well as good adhesion with the substrate; but they are difficult to mix and clean, very sensitive to moisture variations, and incompatible with the substrate under thermal and mechanical loads. As a result, deficient bonding may occur, particularly when longitudinal post-tensioning is not provided, causing leaking and rusting. Oppositely, cementitious grouts are easier to mix and more compatible with the concrete substrate; however, they are more prone to shrinkage. More recently, advances in cementitious materials resulted in the development of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC). While this material has demonstrated exceptional performance when used for the closure pour; it requires special mixing to well disperse the particles and careful attention must be paid to the construction and curing practices to achieve enhanced mechanical and durability properties. As a result, testing of various types of grout materials is essential to establish the quality and serviceability of these materials. It is the intention of this paper to evaluate the performance of different cement-based grouting materials and to provide bridge engineers with useful database as to what materials are preferred for a specific project.

Automatic As-Built BIM Creation of Precast Concrete Bridge Deck Panels Using Laser Scan Data

AbstractPrecast concrete bridge deck panels are commonly used for bridge constructions because they enable faster construction and have less impact on traffic flow. The quality of connections betwe...

Automated Estimation of Reinforced Precast Concrete Rebar Positions Using Colored Laser Scan Data

AbstractPrecast concrete elements are widely adopted and the performance of precast structures is relying on the quality of connections between adjacent elements. For reinforced precast concrete elements, rebar positions are important for the overall structural performance, however, they are usually manually inspected. This study develops a technique for automated position estimation of rebars on reinforced precast concrete elements using colored laser scan data. A novel mixed pixel filter is developed to remove mixed pixels from the raw scan data based on both distance and color difference. A one‐class classifier is used for extracting rebars from all the data based on both geometric and color features of points. Furthermore, a novel rebar recognition algorithm is developed to recognize individual rebars based on two newly defined metrics. Experiments on two reinforced precast concrete bridge deck panels were conducted and showed that the proposed technique can accurately and efficiently estimate rebar positions.

Surface flatness and distortion inspection of precast concrete elements using laser scanning technology

Precast concrete elements are widely used in the construction of buildings and civil infrastructures as they provide higher construction quality and requires less construction time. However, any abnormalities in precast concrete surfaces such as non-flatness or distortion, can influence the erection of the elements as well as the functional performance of the connections between elements. Thus, it is important to undertake surface flatness and distortion inspection (SFDI) on precast concrete elements before their delivery to the construction sites. The traditional methods of SFDI which are conducted manually or by contact-type devices are, however, time-consuming, labor-intensive and error-prone. To tackle these problems, this study proposes techniques for SFDI of precast concrete elements using laser scanning technology. The proposed techniques estimate the FF number to evaluate the surface flatness, and estimate three different measurements, warping, bowing, and differential elevation between adjacent elements, to evaluate the surface distortion. The proposed techniques were validated by experiments on four small scale test specimens manufactured by a 3D printer. The measured surface flatness and distortion from the laser scanned data were compared to the actual ones, which were obtained from the designed surface geometries of the specimens. The validation experiments show that the proposed techniques can evaluate the surface flatness and distortion effectively and accurately. Furthermore, scanning experiments on two actual precast concrete bridge deck panels were conducted and the proposed techniques were successfully applied to the scanned data of the panels.

Experimental investigation of connection details for precast deck panels on concrete girders in composite deck construction

Full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panels are connected to the girders on site by shear connectors to create a composite action and to prevent relative movement between the beam and the precast deck during all loading levels. This research study experimentally investigates different connection details that can provide a load transfer mechanism between concrete girders and precast deck panels to ensure full composite action. Three connection details were investigated: unconfined studs, confined studs and rebar dowels. Six specimens were cast and tested in direct pull-out or push-off tests. The confined studs showed the highest shear capacity at low displacement levels as well as the highest pull-out capacity. However, the three configurations showed higher capacities than expected according to the Canadian highway bridge design code.

The optimum overlay thickness of prefabricated full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panel system – 3D non-linear finite element modeling

Segmental construction of prefabricated full-depth concrete bridge deck systems results in numerous transverse and longitudinal joints as well as shear connector pockets that receive cast-in-place concrete or grout. In such systems, it is necessary to overlay the bridge deck to provide smooth riding surface and to protect the underlying deck reinforcement from the deicing salts-induced corrosion and consequent spalling and delamination of the concrete.This paper reports on results and findings obtained from a non-linear finite element analysis (NLFEA) of a prototype prefabricated full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panel system before and after being overlaid with various plain and fibrous latex-modified concrete (LMC) and microsilica concrete (MSC) overlays. The NLFEA were validated with experimental results obtained from full-scale testing of the prototype bridge system. The benefits of the NLFEA can be highly appreciated when visualizing the substantial time and cost savings, the ability to change any parameter of interest, and the capability of demonstrating any interesting response at any load value and at any location in the system. The most attractive results were: (1) adequately bonded LMC or MSC overlay significantly improves the stiffness, cracking load, and ultimate strength capacity of the system, (2) AASHTO HS20 truck induced bond stresses were below the bond strength of bonded LMC and MSC overlays, (3) the fibrous overlay has desirable crack arresting characteristic.

Full-Scale Implementation and Testing of Full-Depth Precast Bridge Deck Panels

A bridge deck panel system using nonprestressed full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panels with continuous shear pockets was investigated. First, the research team performed conceptual improvement, design, detailing, and fabrication studies on a specific deck replacement system (System CD-2) previously proposed by NCHRP Project 12-65 researchers. Key improvements to the CD-2 deck panel system included modifications to the transverse joint coupler for ease of construction and the addition of a longitudinal staged-construction joint to expedite bridge deck replacement projects. Next, an experimental program was carried out to construct and perform service-level load testing on a full-size precast deck panel assemblage that incorporated the refinements. On the basis of static and cyclic loading test results, it was found that the modified CD-2 deck panel system as a whole performed satisfactorily with regard to AASHTO serviceability requirements.

Numerical Simulation of Prestressed Precast Concrete Bridge Deck Panels Using Damage Plasticity Model

This paper describes a three-dimensional approach to modeling the nonlinear behavior of partial-depth precast prestressed concrete bridge decks under increasing static loading. Six full-size panels were analyzed with this approach where the damage plasticity constitutive model was used to model concrete. Numerical results were compared and validated with the experimental data and showed reasonable agreement. The discrepancy between numerical and experimental values of load capacities was within six while the discrepancy of mid-span displacement was within 10 %. Parametric study was also conducted to show that higher accuracy could be achieved with lower values of the viscosity parameter but with an increase in the calculation effort.

Transverse panel-to-panel connections for full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panels on continuous steel girder bridges: Part 1, experimental

The focus of this article is the performance measurement of transverse panel-to-panel connections for full-depth concrete bridge deck panels on continuous steel girder bridges. Using a simulated HS 20 vehicle loading, two nonprestressed and four posttensioned connections are tested cyclically in negative bending. Testing objectives include the determination of the net service stress limit required to control cracking and prevent leaking under service load moment. Results find cracking and leaking to occur for connections with 170 psi of initial stress and no leaking or full-depth cracking for connections with 340 psi. The superior performance of the connections with higher prestress leads the authors to recommend the specification of a maximum net tensile stress of 3√fc.

Transverse panel-to-panel connections for full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panels on continuous steel girder bridges: Part 2, time-dependent analysis

In this article, the authors seek to determine the initial compressive stress to avoid cracking and leaking in precast, prestressed concrete bridge deck panels. They use an age-adjusted effective modulus method to evaluate time-dependent stress redistribution in composite systems. The evaluation found an initial precompression of 200 to 300 psi to be adequate for single span bridges, 200 to 700 psi for three-span bridges, and 100 psi for two-span bridges. They also determine that accelerated construction schedules for continuous span bridges make it necessary to substantially increase initial compressive stress.

Lifting of GFRP Precast Concrete Bridge Deck Panels

AbstractThe Beaver Creek Bridge on U.S. Highway 6 is a single-span bridge and a pilot project for glass fiber–reinforced polymer (GFRP) precast bridge decks in Utah using accelerated bridge construction (ABC). The Utah Department of Transportation decided to evaluate GFRP bars as an alternative to steel bars for reinforcing the bridge deck. The precast concrete panels were 12.62-m long, 2.08-m wide, and 235-mm thick and were reinforced entirely with GFRP bars. The bridge deck panels were lifted from the underside at four points using steel cables inside steel tubes or nylon straps instead of embedded steel anchors. Two of the 24 panels used to construct the bridge deck were instrumented with strain gauges. Experimental strain measurements showed that the panels exhibited acceptable levels of strain that were below concrete cracking limits. By comparison, similar laboratory panels with identical thickness and reinforcement that were lifted with four embedded anchors from the panel top experienced cracks on...

Composite behavior of precast concrete bridge deck-panel systems

This article describes how experimental and analytical studies were conducted to investigate the composite behavior of precast concrete bridge deck-panel systems. A full-scale, single-span bridge was constructed and fatigue and ultimate load tests were conducted with different shear-connector types and various pocket spacing. Different construction details were compared for strength, fatigue performance, and ease of construction. The results of the research program were used to recommend the best construction details to use and propose design practices that account for the variables that make precast concrete bridge deck-panel systems unique.

Full-Scale Testing of Prefabricated Full-Depth Precast Concrete Bridge Deck Panel System

The implementation of a prefabricated full-depth precast concrete deck system is an innovative technique that accelerates the rehabilitation process of a bridge deck extending its service life for the purpose of reducing user delays, and community disruptions and lowering its life-cycle costs. A full-scale, two-span continuous prototype bridge 82 ft (25 m) long and 18 ft (5.5 m) wide was designed, constructed, and tested for service load, overload, and ultimate load to study the constructibility and structural performance of the prefabricated full-depth precast concrete bridge deck system. The bridge superstructure is composed of 11 prefabricated full-depth precast concrete panels placed on three steel beams (W18 x 86) and made fully composite with shear connector pockets and shear studs. The experience gained from the sequence of construction events such as fabrication, handling and erection, grouting of transverse joints, longitudinal post-tensioning, and grouting of haunches and shear connector pockets in addition to the results derived from testing a full-scale prototype bridge indicated that a prefabricated, post-tensioned deck system is workable and constructible. Finite element analysis and experimental test results also indicated that a full composite action was maintained between the post-tensioned precast concrete panels and the supporting system; also, no cracks were observed in the transverse joints at the negative moment regions.