An analytical method for full-range mechanical behavior of continuous slab-deck in multi-span simply supported concrete bridges

Connecting the ends of girders with a continuous slab-deck to make a multiple-span simply supported girder bridge provides many benefits, but there is no suitable nonlinear analysis model which considers continuous slab-deck cracking under tension and bending. In this article, the rotational spring model is further refined to replace the restraining effects at both ends of the girder by the simplified mechanical model associated with axial stiffness, bending stiffness, and shear stiffness. Then, it is introduced into the analysis of continuous slab-deck. The more accurate rotations and displacements of both ends of continuous slab-deck are obtained to investigate the more precise moment and tension of the continuous slab-deck. Furthermore, this article presents an improved nonlinear analysis model of continuous slab-deck based on a detailed boundary rotational spring model. The displacements of important positions and the strain of key components in continuous slab-deck after cracking are investigated by numerical analysis and full-scale model test to verify the accuracy of the proposed nonlinear analysis model. The result shows that the nonlinear analysis model presented in this article could successfully evaluate the depth of cracks and the stress of rebars in continuous slab-deck, and it is instructional in predicting the cracking state of the continuous slab-deck and the reinforcement design.