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Road Bridge with prefabricated element deck

Conference Paper · August 2009

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Günter Seidl
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 Road Bridge with prefabricated element deck
Günter Seidl 1
1
SSF Ingenieure, Munich, Germany gseidl@ssf-ing.de

Abstract
To minimise cost and time consuming works on bridge construction sites, prefabricated construction elements are ever
more frequently taken into consideration in the development of new construction methods. Hence, there is the possibility to
transfer complex works into the prefabrication plant, to limit work time of bridges to only a few days and to simplify the
construction process. These advantages shall be put into use during new construction of a three lane road bridge with cycle
lane. Therefore a bridge has been developed with a transversal bearing system uncoupled from the longitudinal system and
consisting of deck elements. The deck elements are not connected with the longitudinal system afterwards but lie movably
in longitudinal direction on an elastic strip support. In the final stage, framing system and deck can be moved
independently for one another. The present report describes the particularities of the new construction method such as
bearing behaviour of the deck elements and construction details especially joint formation and support of the deck.

Keywords: element bridge, concrete deck, prefabrication,

1 INTRODUCTION
When newly constructing a bridge, besides material and staff costs, construction time and thus the intervention in ongoing
traffic plays a decisive role in terms of costs. The development of new construction methods aims always at a level of
prefabrication as high as possible to minimise construction time on site. This was the aim of the new method herein
presented whose advantages are demonstrated on an exemplary project.
Main characteristic of the new construction method is a transversal bearing system uncoupled from the longitudinal system.
The longitudinal system consists of two prefabricated VFT-girders formed as framing structure with a clearance of
32.00 m; in transversal direction these girders are only connected on the abutments with retaining walls.

Fig. 1 View of the bridge

The deck consists of prefabricated deck elements of 16.00 m width and 2.50 m length that are laid with a crane onto the
framing bridge. As soon as the deck elements are laid, they are connected by longitudinal tendons without post-tension to
form a connected deck. This technique assures that the elements do not slip apart and that shear force is transmitted by the
shear-dowels. The deck elements are not connected later on with the longitudinal system. The elements lie in longitudinal
direction movably on an elastomeric strip that corresponds to a flexible support between the deck and the framing system.
It is thus assured that the framing system founded on bored piles and the deck move independently from one another in
case of traffic load and temperature.
 Fig. 2 Schematic cross-section of the bridge

2 BRIDGE STRUCTURE
The construction can be divided in two bearing elements:

2.1 Framing structure

The one bearing element forms the framing structure as it is known from integral bridges. It consists of two prefabricated
composite box girders that are connected rigidly with the abutment. The box gider, air-tightly welded, made of steel S355,
is completed at the prefabrication plant with a concrete cord of quality C70/85. This cord is 1.40 m wide and widens to
3.00 m reaching up to the abutment. The widening to the abutment becomes necessary so as to transfer the tensile forces in
the reinforcement due to the negative bearing moment into the abutment. The two main girders are placed at a distance of
8.00 m. The main girder as frame girder is haunched from 0.95 to 2.20 m high which corresponds to a slenderness of 15.20
to 35.30.

The frame forms the main structure of the bridge as, later on, the deck should not have a shear-resistant connection to the
bridge. Accordingly, the load bearing structure is build rigidly to sufficiently secure small deformations of the bridge even
without interaction of the deck.

2.2 The bridge deck

The bearing element in transversal direction is formed by the bridge deck. It consists of 2.50 m wide elements made of high
performance concrete that are pre-stressed in the stressing mould. The pre-stressing force in transversal direction is thus at
12 MN/m2. The elements lie elastically on the main load bearing structure and are connected to each other by external
longitudinal tendons.

The concrete is used directly for traffic which is made possible by the high quality of the prefabrication concrete. It can be
renounced to forming the bridge caps with cast-in-place concrete as this can already be taken into account in the formation
of the bridge deck.

2.2.1 Support of the deck on the longitudinal girders

The deck elements prefabricated at the plant are placed on the framing system consisting of the two main girders. No shear-
resistant connection of the elements with the longitudinal girders is provided but an independent shift of the two bearing
systems (longitudinal and transversal direction). This is in the context of prior experience showing that post-grouting is
sometimes not without inaccuracies. A great advantage of this variant is the very simple renewal of the deck in the course
of renovation works of the deck. In addition, constraint forces acting on the deck elements and on the longitudinal girders
can be reduced. A shear-resistant connection was furthermore examined. Decisive material savings were not achieved by
these measures because the high shear forces resulting from dead weight do not act on the later shear connection.

To permit an independent shift of the bearing systems, the deck elements are placed on an elastic intermediate layer of
about 2.5 cm. The elastic layer is lowered about 1.5 cm into a deepening planned in the longitudinal girders to prevent a
displacement of the strips. The bottom edge of the deck elements that runs parallel to the upper edge (one side inclination
of 2.5%) is formed horizontally near the longitudinal girders for support.

During construction stage, the deck elements are shifted to one another on the elastomeric strip that is to say, according to
the possible bearing situation, they have to be shifted several centimetres. Resulting from longitudinal pre-stressing, a
relatively large displacement between the longitudinal girder and the deck can be expected. A resting distortion of the
elastomeric strip due to these displacements should be prevented so as to guarantee the durability of the materials and to
permit the quasi-slide of the deck elements on the longitudinal girders. A PU-layer is applied to the elastomeric strip that
acts as sliding layer.

2.2.2 Joint formation in the connection area of the deck elements / sealing
The deck elements are joined to one another by concrete dowels with shear-connection. An external longitudinal pre-
stressing produces a high compression force that exceeds the shear force dowels in all load cases.
The deck is used for traffic without applying an asphalt layer. In the undisturbed areas of the deck elements, the high
concrete quality – guaranteed by fabrication at the plant – presents a sufficient sealing effect. In the area of the connection
of the deck elements, joints are build that have to be protected against infiltrating water. For that reason a continuous
sealing is assembled above the concrete dowel.

2.2.3 Longitudinal pre-stressing

After laying and “grinding connection” of all deck elements, tendons are assembled through the PE cladding tubes provided
in the deck element. Tendons are used that have several strands, corrosion protected in the factory, are laying next to each
other and separately coated with PE as well as linked by straps to flat “bands”. The cladding tubes are not grouted so as to
permit a later on replacement of the tendons and also the bridge deck. Infiltrating water can run off at the underside of the
cladding tubes due to the inclination of the cladding tubes and to additional holes.
The pre-stressing is provided in such way that an opening of the joints caused by traffic load is avoided. At the underside
an opening of the joints caused by traffic load is admitted. The pre-stressing in longitudinal direction is at 3.8 MN/m2.
In case of failure of all longitudinal tendons, the joint between the elements will open slightly. The serviceability is no
longer given. However, the bearing capacity remains to a full extent because the deck elements act together as one whole
slab even in case of mutual displacement because of additional studs and because no lifting forces occur at the elastic
supports so that the deck is secured against overturning.

2.2.4 Securing of positioning

The deck elements finish at the abutments by formation of a valance. This valance reaches behind the framing deck and
ends above the transition slab. It guarantees that the slab is prevented from bending to the top and no undefined shifting of
the deck in longitudinal direction occurs. Between valance and abutments a flexible intermediate layer is applied that is
supposed to absorb the displacement in longitudinal direction due to traffic and temperature. This strip is dimensioned in
such way that even in case of expansion of the deck alone caused by temperature, the valance lies still defined on the elastic
intermediate layer.
In longitudinal direction the bridge deck is movable independently from the framing structure. It is embedded elastically by
the flexible intermediate layer between the main girder and the deck and by the flexible intermediate layer between the
deck’s valance and the abutment. A shifting of the deck in longitudinal direction is prevented by the valances reaching
behind the abutments. Lifting forces do not occur in the elements’ elastic supports on the longitudinal girders.
In transversal direction the position of the deck is secured against displacement by concrete cleats that are situated at each
bottom edge of the second prefabricated element at the inner edge of the longitudinal girder presenting its ends. In case all
tendons fail, securing studs are placed in the elements’ cantilevers which secure each of the elements from overturning
under full loading of the cantilevers.

3 PRODUCTION OF A BRIDGE IN ELEMENT COSNTRUCTION METHOD

One special advantage of this construction method is the high level of prefabrication. First, the steel box girders are welded
at the steel works factory where they are corrosion protected, too; then they are provided with the concrete cored in the
prefabrication plant. After a determined lying period in un-tensioned state, the VFT single span girders are laid according to
their position in the construction and are measured. After a target/ actual comparison, the deepening for the elastic support
strip is milled into the upper side of the concrete cord following the target gradient and provided with a support strip.
Moreover, the deck can be prefabricated. The elements of the deck are cast in the pre-stressing mould. The grip of the deck
is achieved by sanding down and roughening the surface of the elements. The concrete dowel is already assembled in the
formwork as well as the cladding tubes for the tendons and the continuous sealing. After hardening of the concrete, the
contact surfaces between the elements are worked evenly by sanding.
For the construction in situ, a provisory crossing point has to be established. The foundation is made by a pile boring
 machine. The abutments are cast up until the lower edge of the VFT-girder. The abutment is partially filled and the
transition slabs are concreted.
The VFT®-girders are transported to the site and laid. The frame corner is concreted. After a sufficient hardening period
(ca. 2-3 days) a deepening according to the measures of the VFT®-girder taken at the plant (see above) are milled into the
abutments so as to continue the elastic support strip of the longitudinal girders. Need be, when constructing the abutment
wall, a metal runner can be taken into consideration having the same function.
Afterwards, the deck elements are laid with an auto-crane coming from one of the abutments. When all elements are laid
and connected, the tendons are shot into the cladding tubes and are tensioned in the niches provided in the valance. The
niches are covered and grouted with grease.

1) 2) 3) 4)

Fig. 3 Schematic demonstration of fabrication: 1) Fabrication of the frame corner, 2) Laying of the elastomeric strip,
3) Laying of deck elements, 4) Stressing together of deck elements

The dismounting of the overturning securing can now be done quickly and the drainage can be connected. Road works
proceed to the valance and the bridge is commissioned for traffic.

4 CHANCES OF THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD

The presented construction method combines mostly established construction details with newly developed ones so that in
many fields there is the possibility to take advantage of gained experience. The exceptional advantages of this method can
be described as follows:
Closing off periods can be reduced to a minimum because of the complete prefabrication of the superstructure at the plant.
This high level of prefabrication at the workshop / the prefabrication plant involves high quality standards.
The concrete’s high quality and the pre-stressing in transversal direction allow a deck possible to be directly used for traffic
with high density.
The extent of work on the site is reduced to a minimum especially because no concreting, sealing and asphalting works take
place and only few dismounting works become necessary.
Damages due to oil accidents can be remedied by blinding as it is the case on common concrete decks of motorways.
When undertaking renovation works, compared to common asphalt covered bridges, individual deck elements can easily
and cost efficiently be replaced.
Also when changing the roads cross-section, by using deck elements with adapted cross-section, an adaptation of the
construction is possible. Need be, standards can be developed for different conditions.

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