Accelerated Construction for Pedestrian Bridges: A Comparison between High Strength Concrete (HSC) and High-Strength Self Consolidating Concrete (HS-SCC)

High-strength concrete (HSC) and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars are materials utilized in bridge construction to lower cost, reduce construction time, and increase service life of bridge structures. Recently, high-strength self-consolidating concrete (HS-SCC), a highly flowable concrete that does not require vibration, has been developed as a viable alternative to HSC for use in situations with congested steel or a need for rapid construction. Coupling HS-SCC with GFRP bars could create durable structures built rapidly. Several performance related issues remain to be investigated such as the behavior of prestress loss, shear, creep, shrinkage, thermal gradients, mechanical property development, time dependent behavior, and serviceability under varying loads before HS-SCC can be implemented in prestress applications. Two prestressed precast pedestrian bridges designed for rapid construction in Rolla, Missouri, USA, were constructed of HSC and HS-SCC to differentiate the mechanical and material properties between the two materials. In addition, the precast deck panels were reinforced with mild steel and GFRP to determine differences in the interaction between the reinforcement and decking materials. Instrumented systems and material tests were used to monitor the mechanical and material properties. This paper reports the results from fabrication through erection. In addition, a service load test is planned.