CONCRETE BRIDGE DECKING

MANY BRIDGE DECKS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE A SERVICE LIFE OF LESS THAN FIVE YEARS BEFORE EXTENSIVE REPAIRS ARE REQUIRED. A PURDUE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH TEAM REPORTS DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW FABRICATING TECHNIQUE WHICH MAY SAVE MUCH OF THIS EXPENSE. THE TECHNIQUE CALLS FOR THE USE OF PRECAST CONCRETE BLOCKS, WHICH ARE MADE UNDER MORE CONTROLLED CONDITIONS THAN POSSIBLE ON-SITE. PRE-STRESSING CAN ALSO BE CARRIED OUT, FOR GREATER DURABILITY. EACH OF THE CONCRETE PLANKS IN THE SYSTEM HAS A PROJECTING RIB ON ONE SIDE AND A GROOVE ON THE OTHER, SO THAT THE SECTIONS FIT TOGETHER IN MUCH THE SAME FASHION AS BOARDS IN TONGUE AND GROOVE FLOORING. A POST- STRESSING TECHNIQUE IS USED TO HOLD THE PLANKS TOGETHER AND TO FUNCTION AS AN INTEGRAL SYSTEM AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE BRIDGE'S STEEL SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND CLIPPED TIGHT WITH SPECIAL SPRING FASTENERS. /ARTICLE/

• Corporate Authors:

  Purdue University

  School of Civil Engineering, 550 Stadium Mall Drive
  West Lafeyette, IN  United States  47907
• Authors:
  • Gutzwiller, M J
  • Lee, R H
  • Scholer, C F
• Publication Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Concrete; Concrete blocks; Fabrication; Precast concrete; Prestressing; Service life
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00209143
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Washington Science Trends
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 9 1970 12:00AM