Interface Shear Capacity of Basalt FRP-Reinforced Composite Precast Concrete Girders Supporting Cast-in-Place Bridge-Deck Slabs
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 29, Issue 12
Abstract
Using composite precast concrete bridge girders supporting cast-in-place bridge-deck slabs is a cost-efficient method because it merges precast and cast-in-place elements while maintaining the monolithic construction’s integrity and continuity. In terms of horizontal shear transfer in composite girders, there is a lack of experimental data on the performance of full-scale fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-reinforced composite girders. This study explored an innovative and sustainable approach using noncorroding basalt fiber–reinforced polymer (BFRP) as shear transfer reinforcement in precast concrete bridge girders supporting cast-in-place concrete bridge-deck slabs. Five full-scale composite reinforced concrete T-beams measuring 4,200 mm in length, 420 mm in depth, and 250 mm in width were designed, cast, and tested until failure. The main experimental variables evaluated were the interface shear reinforcement type (BFRP versus steel stirrups), the interface shear reinforcement ratio (0.32% versus 0.48%), and the interface shear reinforcement shape (stirrups versus bent bars). The test results were analyzed in terms of ultimate horizontal shear stress, deflection, slippage, and shear reinforcement strain. The experimental results indicated that the BFRP shear reinforcement provided reasonable shear transfer capacities compared to steel when provided across rough concrete interfaces. In addition, the existing equations in North American bridge design guidelines yielded overly cautious predictions of the BFRP bars’ interface shear strength. The study conclusively demonstrates the viability and potential of using BFRP bars as shear connectors in composite precast concrete girders supporting cast-in-place bridge-deck slab applications.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and codes generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
This project was made possible with funding provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC-ALLRP556942-20). The authors are grateful to Pultrall, Inc. (Thetford Mines, QC, Canada) for donating the BFRP reinforcement and to the technical staff of the structural laboratory in the Department of Civil and Building Engineering at the University of Sherbrooke for their assistance in testing the beams.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- Acv
- area of the concrete shear interface;
- b
- interface width;
- C
- total compression in the flange;
- c
- cohesion coefficient;
- Ef
- modulus of elasticity of the FRP reinforcement;
- Es
- modulus of elasticity of the steel reinforcement;
- concrete compressive strength;
- ffd
- interface shear resistance;
- l
- length over which horizontal shear is to be transferred;
- Pc
- permanent net compressive force;
- vr
- shear resistance of the plane;
- vu
- ultimate nominal shear transfer stress;
- αf
- angle of inclination of the reinforcement with respect to the shear plane;
- μ
- friction factor; and
- ρν
- reinforcement ratio.
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Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 29 • Issue 12 • December 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 8, 2023
Accepted: Aug 29, 2024
Published online: Sep 30, 2024
Published in print: Dec 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Mar 1, 2025
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