Bridge Decks with Precast UHPC Waffle Panels: A Field Evaluation and Design Optimization
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 21, Issue 1
Abstract
The first full-depth precast ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) waffle panels have been designed and implemented in a bridge replacement project to use accelerated bridge construction and increase bridge deck longevity. This paper first evaluates the structural performance of this bridge using a combination of field live-load testing and analytical modeling. The collected data for vertical deflections and strains at discrete critical locations on the bridge deck, subjected to static and dynamic truck loads, demonstrated satisfactory performance of the bridge deck and correlated well with the results obtained from the analytical model. Thereupon, options to optimize the bridge deck are examined to minimize the UHPC volume and associated labor costs. Using the analytical model, an optimization of the waffle panels was undertaken by varying the number of ribs as well as spacing between the ribs. An optimized panel was achieved by reducing the interior ribs per panel from four to two, or zero, in the longitudinal direction and six to two in the transverse direction, without compromising the panel’s structural performance.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Aaleti, S., Petersen, B., and Sritharan, S. (2013). “Design guide for precast ultra-high-performance concrete waffle deck panel system, including connections.” FHWA-HIF-13-032, Bridge Engineering Center, Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA.
Aaleti, S. and Sritharan, S. (2014). “Design of ultrahigh-performance concrete waffle deck for accelerated bridge construction.” Transportation Research Record, 2406, 12–22.
Aaleti, S., Sritharan, S., Bierwagen, D., and Wipf, T. J. (2011). “Structural behavior of waffle bridge deck panels and connections of precast UHPC: Experimental evaluation.” Transportation Research Record, 2251, 82–92.
AASHTO. (2010). LRFD bridge design specifications, Washington, DC.
ASCE. (2013). “Report card for America’s infrastructure.” 〈http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/a/documents/2013-Report-Card.pdf〉 (July 24, 2014).
Berger, R. (1983). “Full-depth modular precast prestressed bridge decks.” Transportation Research Record, 903, 52–59.
Better Roads Bridge Inventory. (2009). “Bridge inventory 2009 state of bridges.” 〈http://www.betterroads.com/better-bridges-bridge-inventory-2009-state-of-bridges/〉 (Aug. 13, 2014).
Graybeal, B. (2014). “Ultra-high-performance concrete connections for precast concrete bridge decks.” Precast Pretressed Concr. Inst. J., 59(4), 48–62.
Harris, D. K., and Wollmann, C. L. (2005). “Characterization of the punching shear capacity of thin ultra-high performance concrete slabs.” VTRC 05-CR26, Virginia Transportation Research Council, Charlottesville, VA.
Iowa DOT. (2011). “Index of beam standards.” 〈http://www.iowadot.gov/bridge/standards/english/EnglishBeams.pdf〉 (Apr. 10, 2014).
Issa, M., and Yousif, A. (2000). “Experimental behavior of full-depth precast concrete panels for bridge rehabilitation.” ACI Struct. J., 97(3), 397–407.
Keierleber, B., Bierwagen, D., Wipf, T., and Abu-Hawash, A. (2008). “Design of Buchanan County, Iowa Bridge using UHPC and pi-girder cross section.” Proc., Precast/Prestressed Concrete Inst. National Bridge Conf., Orlando, FL, Paper 27.
Piotrowski, S., and Schmidt, M. (2012). “Life cycle cost analysis of a UHPC bridge on example of two bridge refurbishment designs.” Proc., Hipermat 3rd Int. Symp. on UHPC and Nanotechnology for High Performance Construction Materials, Kassel Univ. Press, Kassel, Germany, 957–964.
Russell, H., and Graybeal, B. (2013). “Ultra-high performance concrete: A state-of-the-art report for the bridge community.” FHWA-HRT-13-060, Office of Infrastructure Research and Development, Federal Highway Administration, McLean, VA.
Vande Voort, T., Suleiman, M., and Sritharan, S. (2008). Design and performance verification of UHPC piles for deep foundations, Iowa State Univ., Center for Transportation Research and Education, Ames, IA.
Wipf, T. J., Klaiber, W., and Hockerman, S. (2009). “Precast concrete elements for accelerated bridge construction.” IHRB TR-561, Bridge Engineering Center, Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA.
Working Committee on the Safety of Bridges. (1980). A guide for the field testing of bridges, ASCE, New York.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 21 • Issue 1 • January 2016
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 20, 2014
Accepted: Jan 12, 2015
Published online: May 16, 2015
Discussion open until: Oct 16, 2015
Published in print: Jan 1, 2016
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.