Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Decked I-Beam for Medium and Long Span Bridges

Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) is an excellent material for bridge construction due to its superior workability, durability, and mechanical properties. This paper presents the development of an innovative UHPC superstructure system for medium and long span bridges. The new system consists of decked I-beams (DIBs) designed to optimize superstructure weight, speed of construction, structural efficiency, and durability. A non-proprietary UHPC mixture was developed, and a special form was manufactured to produce DIBs with ribbed slabs. Several material/structural tests were conducted on small-scale specimens and two full-scale specimens to evaluate flexural strength and punching shear strength of the ribbed deck slab as well as load distribution in the DIB flanges. The challenges associated with the production of two full-scale specimens using the new non-proprietary UHPC mixture and DIB forms are discussed. Test results indicated the adequacy of the developed system when compared to the demand of an example bridge and the predicted capacity according to AASHTO UHPC Guide Specifications and PCI Design Guide.