PRECAST, PRETRESSED CONCRETE FOR BRIDGE DECKS

A RESEARCH PROJECT AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY HAS DEMONSTRATED THE FEASIBILITY OF USING PRECAST, PRESTRESSED CONCRETE SLABS FOR DECK REPLACEMENT. THE PRETENSIONED SLABS (PRESENTLY 4 FT WIDE) ARE PLACED TRANSVERSELY TO THE BRIDGE GIRDERS. PRETENSIONING STRESS LEVEL IS INTENDED TO MAINTAIN COMPRESSION STRESS IN THE CONCRETE UNDER FULL DESIGN LOADS. THE SLABDS ARE POST-TENSIONED IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION WITH CABLES STRUNG THROUGH PREFORMED SLAB DUCTS. A THIN RUBBER PAD PLACED IN THE JOINTS BETWEEN SLABS MINIMIZES STRESS CONCENTRATIONS DUE TO SURFACE IRREGULARITIES. THE PAD AND NOMINAL POST-TENSIONING STRESS LEVEL PREVENT WATER MOVEMENT THROUGH THE POINT. SLAB UNITS ARE TIED DOWN TO THE SUPPORTING BEAMS BY USING SPRING CLIPS AND BOLTS SCREWED INTO PRESET ANCHORS IN THE CONCRETE. AN INITIAL SET OF REPEATED LOAD TESTS TO SIMULATE WHEEL PASSAGE OVER A JOINT SHOWED DISTRESS AT THE JOINT, INDICATING THE NEED FOR CAREFUL ATTENTION OT JOINT DETAILING AND FORMING. A SECOND SET OF LABORATORY SPECIMENS, CONSTRUCTED WITH AN IMPROVED JOINT DETAIL, WITHSTOOD 10 MILLION CYCLES OF REPEATED LOAD APPLICATION AND SHOWED NO ADVERSE EFFECTS. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr116/116-007.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309018439
• Supplemental Notes:
  • pp 30-41, 12 FIG, REF Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Gutzwiller, M J
  • Lee, R H
  • Scholer, C F
• Conference:
  • Western Summer Meeting
  • Location: Sacremento California, United States
  • Date: 1970-8-17 to 1970-8-19
• Publication Date: 1971

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 30-41
• Monograph Title: Improving Pavement and Bridge Deck Performance
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 116
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Concrete; Design; Precast concrete; Prestressed concrete; Slabs; Testing
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00215394
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309018439
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 29 1971 12:00AM