Abstract
Field-cast cementitious grouts are commonly used for connecting adjacent prefabricated bridge deck elements. These grouts can exhibit high shrinkage levels and are susceptible to premature bond failure at the interface between the precast concrete and connection grout. These actions commonly result in connection cracking, which can lead to serviceability issues in the bridge structure such as reinforcing bar corrosion, leakage, and degradation of structural performance. This study presents a set of potential strategies to enhance the shrinkage properties and bond performance of these grouted connections. The strategies include using advanced materials such as ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), proper detailing of precast concrete connection surfaces, application of internal curing in connection grouts, and use of interface premoistening. The study includes experiments conducted at both material and component levels. At the material level, these potential improvement strategies were evaluated using standardized shrinkage and bond-strength test methods. To demonstrate the impact on structural performance, some of these strategies were used in a component-level investigation consisting of three large-scale bridge deck connection tests. Experimental results demonstrate that the suggested strategies can reduce shrinkage, enhance bond strength, and improve structural performance of connections.
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Acknowledgments
The research presented in this paper was funded by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration. This support is gratefully acknowledged. The publication of this paper does not necessarily indicate approval or endorsement of the findings, opinions, conclusions, or recommendations either inferred or specifically expressed herein by the Federal Highway Administration or the United States Government. This research could not have been completed were it not for the dedicated support of the federal and contract staff associated with the FHWA Structural Concrete Research Program. The authors would also like to thank Mr. Dale Bentz (National Institute of Standards and Technology) for his valuable comments.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 30 • Issue 4 • April 2018
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 8, 2017
Accepted: Oct 10, 2017
Published online: Feb 10, 2018
Published in print: Apr 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Jul 10, 2018
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