Florida Slab-Beam Bridge with Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Joint Connections

The Florida Slab Beam (FSB) is a precast, prestressed, flat-slab beam currently used for off-system, short-span bridges (less than about 65 feet) by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). A modified FSB section and female-to-female joint detail utilizing ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) were explored to accelerate construction and improve the performance of the system. Four different joint details with two different section depths were investigated with numerical models and small-scale experimental testing to evaluate the transverse moment capacity and ensure sufficient shear transfer across the joint under strength and fatigue performance. The best performing joint was investigated further with two two-beam and one four-beam large-scale test configurations with service, fatigue, and ultimate strength testing. The impact of leveling the differential camber in one beam was investigated in the four-beam test configuration. The beams in all full-scale systems reached their estimated ultimate flexural strength without any joint debonding or distress. Additionally, no damage was observed in the joint or system for the two-beam and four-beam systems under more than four million cyclic loads. A UHPC simple for dead load, continuous for live load connection was also developed and evaluated using non-linear finite element analysis.

• Record URL:
  https://fdotwww.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity/docs/default-source/research/reports/fdot-bdv29-977-65-rpt.pdf?sfvrsn=e592549b_2
• 
• Summary URL:
  https://fdotwww.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity/docs/default-source/research/reports/fdot-bdv29-977-65-sum.pdf?sfvrsn=7128940_4
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/63151
• Corporate Authors:

  Florida International University, Miami

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  Miami, FL  United States  33174

  Florida Department of Transportation

  605 Suwannee Street
  Tallahassee, FL  United States  32399-0450
• Authors:
  • Chitty, Francisco
  • Garber, David
• Publication Date: 2021-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Illustrations; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 820p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accelerated bridge construction; Beams; Bridge decks; Slabs; Structural connection; Ultra high performance concrete
• Geographic Terms: Florida
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01856465
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: BDV29-977-28, BDV29-977-65
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 29 2022 9:27AM