ITG-3-04
Report on Bridge Decks Free of Steel Reinforcement
2004, 21 pp.
$79.50

This document outlines procedures for the design of bridge decks free of steel reinforcement and requirements for design and installation of straps to restrain rotation of edge beams to achieve arching action in a deck slab.

The concept for the design of a steel-free bridge deck slab described in this report is patented. Therefore, use of the information in this document may require payment of royalties to the owners of the patents. At the time of printing, the United States and the United Kingdom have granted a patent for the steel-free cast-in-place bridge deck slabs, with a patent pending in Canada. The steel-free precast slab is also patented in the United States, and the global patent is pending. Interested parties are invited to submit information regarding the identification of an alternative(s) to this patented item to ACI Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of the responsible standards committee, which you may attend.

The American Concrete Institute takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection with any item mentioned in this report. Users of this report are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the risk of infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.

The inventor of the reinforcement-free bridge deck concept described in this report sponsored preparation of the report and provided reimbursement to the authors to assist in recovery of their costs and expenses related to travel to meetings; however, none of the authors received an honorarium.

Conclusions from research conducted since the document

was first written are included in Appendixes B and C.

Keywords: arching; bridge; composite action; corrosion; deck slab; fiber-reinforced

concrete; reinforcement-free; transverse confinement; transverse

constraint.

Contents:
CONTENTS

Chapter 1—Introduction

1.1—Purpose

1.2—Scope and objectives

1.3—Further research needs

Chapter 2—Definitions and abbreviations,

Chapter 3—Design methodology

3.1—Composite action

3.2—Beam spacing

3.3—Slab thickness

3.4—Diaphragms

3.5—Haunches

3.6—Transverse confinement

3.7—Strap spacing

3.8—Strap size

3.9—Strap connection

3.10—Strap connection in negative moment regions

3.11—Edge stiffening

3.12—Reinforcement for transverse negative moment

3.13—Reinforcement in longitudinal negative moment

3.14—Fibers in concrete

3.15—Crack control

Chapter 4—Materials

Chapter 5—Special considerations

5.1—Transverse edge stiffening

5.2—Skew angle

5.3—Concrete parapet connection

5.4—Cracking

5.5—Splitting stresses

5.6—Provisions for safety

5.7—Fatigue resistance of deck slabs

Chapter 6—Design examples

6.1—Common features

6.2—Transverse edge beams

6.3—Parapet wall

Chapter 7—Case histories

Chapter 8—Construction and constructibility,

8.1—Connection straps

8.2—Formwork for slab

8.3—Mixing fibers

8.4—Finishing FRC surfaces

8.5—Precast installation

Chapter 9—Maintenance and cost effectiveness

9.1—Maintenance

9.2—Repair

9.3—Costs

Chapter 10—References

10.1—Cited references

Appendix A—Postcracking strength of FRC test

method

Appendix B—Crack control and fatigue resistance

of reinforcement-free deck slabs

B.1—Purpose and scope

B.2—Comparative results

B.3—References

Appendix C—Fibers and control of cracks due to

volumetric change

C.1—References

Appendix D—Research needs

D.1—Research goals

D.2—Areas of major R & D focus