Precast Bridge Design and Construction

Precast/Prestressed Bridges
LIVE14BRID100
Provider # G123
AIA/CES Quality Statement
This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing
professional education. As such, it does not include content that
may be deemed or construed to constitute approval, sponsorship
or endorsement by the AIA of any method, product, service,
enterprise or organization. The statements expressed by
speakers, panelists, and other participants reflect their own views
and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of The
American Institute of Architects or of AIA components, or those
of their respective officers, directors, members, employees, or
other organizations, groups or individuals associated with them.
Questions related to specific products, publications, and services
may be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.
NCEES Registered Program
PCI has met the standards and requirements of the
Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP) of the
National Council of Examiners for Engineers & Surveyors
(NCEES). Credit earned on completion of this program
will be reported to RCEP. A certificate of completion will
be issued to each participant. As such, it does not
include content that may be deemed or construed to be
an approval or endorsement by NCEES or RCEP.
Course Description
In this program, owners and designers will learn

about the low initial cost, low maintenance
requirements, and long life expectancy of
prestressed concrete bridges. Precast bridges
have also proven to be high in long-term
durability and fire resistance and have excellent
riding characteristics.
Learning Objectives
After participating in this program, you will be

able to:
• Appreciate the growth in the demand for prestressed
concrete bridges
• Explain the advantages of using prestressed

bridges
• Differentiate non-precast bridges from totally precast

bridges
• Consider the low cost, low maintenance requirements, and

long life expectancy of prestressed concrete bridges when
choosing design materials
CLICK AND LEARN …
Growth in the Demand for

Prestressed Concrete Bridges
Advantages of Prestressed
Bridges -- Case Studies
Totally Precast Bridges --

Case Studies
The Future
FORWARD
CLICK AND LEARN …
Growth in the
Demand for
Prestressed
Concrete Bridges
MAIN FORWARD
GROWTH IN THE DEMAND FOR PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BRIDGES
The single most important

event that led to the
dramatic launch of the
precast prestressed
concrete industry in
North America was the
construction of the
technically innovative,
historically fascinating
Walnut Lane Memorial
Bridge in Fairmont
Park in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania in 1949
and 1950.
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At that time,
manufacturers had no
experience with linear
prestressing, and
little published
information was
available. This
prestressed concrete
bridge became a
reality because of the
vision, persistence
and courage of a few
extraordinary
individuals.
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One was Professor

Gustav Mangel
from the University
of Ghent in
Belgium.
He described the
concept of pre-
compressed
concrete to his
students using his
well-known
illustration of a
stack of books.
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The books on the

bottom are like
pre-compressed
concrete: using a
compressive force,
they support their
own weight… plus
significant
superimposed
loads, represented
by the books on
top.
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The combination of high

strength steel – to
resist tensile stress –
and concrete – to
provide compressive
strength
and durability – make
this composite
material adaptable to
many situations,
especially
the design and
construction of
bridges.
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A number of
technological
innovations
followed the
success of the
Walnut Lane
Bridge, including
the establishment
of precasting
plants and in-plant
pretensioning…
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… and the
development of 7-
wire strand to
replace individual
wires.
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Other early innovations

included long-line
casting beds; high-
Long-Line Casting Beds quality, permanent
Permanent Steel Forms steel forms;
specialized chemical
Admixtures admixtures; high
early-strength
High Early-Strength Concrete concrete; accelerated
Accelerated Curing curing with heat; and

more.
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These developments
received technical
and logistical support
from the Prestressed
Concrete Institute,
PCI, chartered in
1954. From the start,
PCI served as a forum
for precasters and
design professionals,
thus spurring the
rapid growth of the
entire precast and
industry.
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Continuous growth in
the use of precast,
prestressed
products has led to
new designs and
applications in
bridges… and
many other
impressive
structures.
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PCI Certified Quality PCI’s Plant Certification program

quickly became an integral
part of plant operations
because, from the very
beginning, the industry
recognized the need for quality
above all else. As a result,
precast, prestressed concrete
products have an excellent
reputation for quality and are
equated with state-of-the-art
engineering standards and
techniques.
PCI Plant Certification assures

specifiers that a manufacturing
plant has been audited for its
capability to produce quality
products on an ongoing basis.
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Total Bridges Built
The growth in the
1950 - Present
demand for
bridges has been
nothing short of
remarkable. Since
1950, some 108,000
30% bridges have been

built.
This represents 30% of

all bridges built
108,000 during the period.

Prestressed
Bridges
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Bridge Construction From 1990 through

1990 - 1999 1999, more than 48%
of all bridges built
Prestressed Concrete: have used
prestressed
concrete. Even more
48% of all bridges
notable, prestressed
construction
60% of state highway bridges represents 60% of
all state highway
bridges and 62% of
62% of numbered highway bridges bridges on
numbered U.S.
highways.
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Deck Surface Area Now, consider the deck surface
1990 - 1999 area of bridges built from

1990 through 1999.
60% of the area of bridge
Prestressed Concrete: decks were built on
60% of deck area of all bridges superstructures.
A further breakdown of deck
area built on prestressed
62% of area of city bridges concrete superstructures
shows 62% of bridges on city
streets, 53% of county
53% of area of county bridges highway bridges, 55% of
interstate highway bridges,
66% of bridges on state
55% of area of interstate bridges highways, and 59% on U.S.
numbered highways.
59% of area of U.S. numbered bridges
MAIN
CLICK AND LEARN …
Advantages of
Prestressed
Concrete Bridges --
Case Studies
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ADVANTAGES OF PRESTRESSED BRIDGES -- CASE STUDIES
Bridges Built Owners and designers

have long recognized
% Built
60 the low initial cost, low
P/C
maintenance needs and
50
long life expectancy of
40 prestressed concrete
30
bridges. This is
S/S
reflected in the
20
R/C increasing market share
10 of prestressed
T
concrete, which has
0
50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 grown from zero in 1950
Year Built
to more than 55 percent
today.
Source: National Bridge Inventory Data
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This growth
continues very
rapidly, not only
for bridges in the
short span range,
but also for
spans in excess
of 150 feet which,
heretofore, has
been nearly the
exclusive domain
of structural
steel.
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The following
examples
illustrate some of
Cost Efficiencies these key
advantages of
Structural/Engineering precast,
prestressed
concrete bridges:
Design Aesthetics
PCI Certified Quality
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Many bridge designers

are surprised to learn
that precast,
Cost Efficiencies prestressed concrete
bridges are usually
lower in first cost than
Structural/Engineering all other types of
bridges.
Design Aesthetics Coupled with savings

in maintenance,
PCI Certified Quality precast bridges offer

maximum economy.
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Cost Efficiencies and An old bridge located on a

Speed of Construction main logging road in
Idaho was replaced
with a prestressed
concrete bridge. The
bridge consists of
integral deck beams on
precast concrete
abutments and wing
walls. The heavy
spring runoff dictated
the need for a shallow
superstructure, and the
load capacity of the
bridge had to be
sufficient to carry off-
Fast and Easy Construction highway logging trucks
that weigh as much as
110 tons each.
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Cost Efficiencies and • The precast

Speed of Construction prestressed bridge
system offered two
principal
advantages:
• it was economical
and it provided
minimum downtime
for construction.
Project duration was
three weeks.
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Cost Efficiencies and The state of Minnesota

Speed of Construction saved more than 16%
- a half a million
dollars – by planning
for a prestressed
alternate to a steel
bridge.
The 700-foot-long bridge

is jointless up to the
abutments and is the
longest continuous
bridge in the state. It
also contains the
longest single
concrete span.
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Cost Efficiencies and A Minnesota

Speed of Construction
transportation
official stated,
“Originally, we
didn’t think
concrete was
suited to this…
bridge. However,
the fabricator
showed us it was a
viable alternative.
Everything went
smoothly… we’re
well satisfied…”
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Cost Efficiencies and Precast, prestressed

concrete bridge
components are
easy to erect,
particularly when
the tops of the
units comprise the
entire
deck slab to form
an “integral deck”
or
Easy to Erect “full-deck” beam.
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Cost Efficiencies and In a full-deck bridge, the

Speed of Construction formwork of the
superstructure is
eliminated.
Connections
between adjacent
units often consist
of welding matching
plates and grouting
continuous keyways.
Carefully planned
details speed the
construction
process and result in
overall economy.
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Cost Efficiencies and Substandard bridges

are easily replaced
with precast
prestressed
sections. In some
cases, existing
abutments can be
used…
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Cost Efficiencies and …but it may be easier and

Speed of Construction more economical to
build new ones, or to
utilize precast
abutments and wing
walls supported on
cast-in-place footings.
Because precast
concrete integral deck
bridges with precast
abutments can be
erected without delay
in cold weather, they
can be opened to
traffic sooner.
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Cost Efficiencies and Bridge departments are

Speed of Construction challenged to
maintain traffic flow,
minimize traffic
interruptions, and
reduce or eliminate
detours during
construction
projects.
This Florida bridge,

damaged in a tanker
fire, was completely
rebuilt and opened
Fast Construction to traffic in 18 days.
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Cost Efficiencies and The fast construction of

Speed of Construction precast concrete integral
deck bridges is a key
Fast Construction advantage. Precast
All Seasons concrete bridges can be
installed during all
seasons and opened to
traffic more rapidly than
any other permanent
type of bridge, because
of the availability of
plant-produced sections
and the speed of
erecting and finishing
construction.
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Cost Efficiencies and Replacing this bridge on

Speed of Construction US Route 95 in Idaho
illustrates another
example of the
advantages of very
fast construction:
Fast New Year’s Day: Rains

Construction and melting snow
washed out this
bridge over the Little
Salmon River linking
the northern and
southern parts of the
state.
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Cost Efficiencies and January 4: The Idaho Department

Speed of Construction of Transportation contacted
the precaster to investigate
solutions. They determined
that the fastest way to
replace the three spans was
to use a single
80-foot span comprised of
bulb-tees with an integral
deck. The top flange would
be 8-inches thick and
8'-6" wide. The end
diaphragms would also be
precast onto the girder ends.
Fast Construction
January 8: Engineers in the
Bridge Section approved
shop drawings and
tensioning calculations.
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Cost Efficiencies and January 18: Bulb-tees were

Speed of Construction shipped 240 miles and
set in place…just 17
days after the flood!
Included in the
shipment was
intermediate steel
diaphragms, guard rail
posts and guard
rail…all the
components to
complete the structure.
January 25: The project

was completed. The
bridge was in service
just 24 days after the
flood!
Fast Construction
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Cost Efficiencies and As a result of a Winter flood,

Speed of Construction this single lane bridge on a
major forest road was
washed out, cutting access
to a U.S. highway for a half
dozen residents…including
one with a senior needing
continuing medical care.
Within only 15 of receiving
plans, the precaster had
fabricated the 135-foot-long
spans with 7’-6”-wide
integral decks, and the
bridge was opened to traffic
3 days later – 18 days in all.
Simple Solution
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Cost Efficiencies and • In Ketchikan, Alaska a bridge on

Speed of Construction the only highway to the north
was washed out when an old
dam gave way on October 26.
Adverse Integral deck girders were
selected for the 85-ft span. The
Weather 12 girders were designed and
Conditions precast in the state of
Washington, then shipped by rail
and barge to Alaska. The girders
were installed and the bridge
was completed and opened to
traffic on December 19 - only 54
days after the washout - despite
the problems of design, remote
location, great distances, and
adverse weather conditions
during the onset of an Alaskan
winter!
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Cost Efficiencies and To accurately compare

costs, consider a
bridge’s life-cycle:
The initial cost of
Life Cycle Cost = the structure must
be added to the
Initial Structure + total operating
cost.
Total Operating Costs For stationary bridges,

(Maintenance) the operating cost
is the maintenance
cost.
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Cost Efficiencies and The durability of precast

Speed of Construction prestressed concrete
bridges designed and built
in accordance with AASHTO
or AREMA specifications
means there should be little,
if any need for maintenance.
One of the reasons
designers select integral
deck prestressed concrete is
Durable the durability of the precast,
prestressed concrete and
the resulting low
maintenance requirements.
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Cost Efficiencies and Fatigue problems are

nonexistent
because only minor
net stresses are
induced by traffic
loads.
Durable
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Cost Efficiencies and And of course, no painting is

Speed of Construction needed. Some bridge
engineers estimate the
life-cycle cost of re-
painting steel bridges to
be 15 to 25% of the initial
cost. Painting bridges is
environmentally
unfriendly and can be
especially dangerous or
expensive when done
over busy highways,
streams, railroad rights-
of-way or in rugged
terrain.
Painting Steel Bridge
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Cost Efficiencies and • On the Illinois Toll Highway,

Speed of Construction the superstructures of 224
bridges are precast
beams. These bridges,
built during 1957 and 1958,
have withstood heavy
traffic and severe
weathering and yet require
very little maintenance.
Other projects in all parts of
North America have
exhibited similar
experience - little or no
Minimal Maintenance maintenance has been
required on precast
bridges.
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In addition to its
cost efficiencies
and speed of
Cost Efficiencies construction,
precast concrete
Structural/Engineering provides
important
structural and
Design Aesthetics engineering
advantages as
PCI Certified Quality well.
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Structural/Engineering A common requirement of

Advantages many bridges is that the
superstructure be as
shallow as possible in
order to provide
maximum clearance with
minimum approach
grades.
Through the technique of

prestressing, the
designer can utilize the
maximum possible
span-to-depth ratio. This
superstructure occupies
Shallow Superstructure just 13 inches of profile.
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Structural/Engineering Span-to-depth ratios as high as

Advantages 30:1 can be achieved with
solid slabs, voided slabs, box
beams, multi-stemmed units,
or bulb-tee sections. Even
though deeper sections will
require less prestressing
steel, the overall economy
of a project may dictate the
highest possible span-to-
depth ratio.
These HPC girders are

4'-6" deep and span 157 ft. A
Shallow Superstructure span/depth ratio of
nearly 35!
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Structural/Engineering Precast prestressed

Advantages concrete integral deck
girders were selected
to provide a shallow
superstructure for a
bridge over a busy
urban highway in
Denver. Even though
the bridge must carry
frequent heavy truck
traffic, the total depth
of the girders is only 3
feet, including the 3-
inch wearing surface,
Adaptable to Many Situations for a span of 80 feet.
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Structural/Engineering This bridge illustrates

Advantages
the high span-to-
depth ratios
possible with
integral deck
prestressed
concrete.
High Span-to-Depth Ratio
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Structural/Engineering Bridges are subjected to an

Advantages assortment of hostile
environments as well as
repeated impact loadings.
Some must endure intense
sun, extreme temperatures
and brackish waters.
Others must withstand not
only the freezing and
thawing provided by nature
but also the potential for
damage through the use of
de-icer chemicals. Dense,
high strength prestressed
concrete has excellent
freeze-thaw and chemical
resistance.
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Structural/Engineering Greater fire resistance is

Advantages
another advantage.
This timber bridge
experienced a
dramatic fire…
Fire Resistance
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Structural/Engineering …it was replaced by a

Advantages
low maintenance
prestressed
concrete bridge
erected without
falsework over an
environmentally-
sensitive area…
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Structural/Engineering Prestressed concrete bridges

Advantages have excellent riding
characteristics that
minimize traffic vibrations.
The public will not only be
safe but also feel secure
and comfortable on a
bridge. Traffic vibrations
are held to an absolute
minimum. The owner will
have a structure on which
the deck is less likely to
crack prematurely.
Continuous spans even
hold deck joints to a
smooth minimum.
Excellent Riding Characteristics
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Structural/Engineering Steel girder bridges frequently exhibit

Advantages noticeable vibrations. The natural
frequency of vibration of these
bridges often coincides with the
frequencies of traffic and then
resonance occurs. Because of
their mass and stiffness, the
natural frequency of vibration of
prestressed girder bridges rarely
coincides with the vehicle
frequencies. Documented cases
show that light bulbs in fixtures
installed on steel bridges burn out
more rapidly as a result of such
vibrations. Reports are surfacing
that indicate decks on steel
bridges are more prone to
Excellent Riding Characteristics cracking and deterioration.
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The clean, attractive

lines of concrete
beams also help
Cost Efficiencies bridge designers
meet the
Structural/Engineering most demanding
aesthetic
requirements.
Design Aesthetics
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Design Aesthetics Prestressed concrete

bridges can be
attractive from above,
below, and from the
side because of the
simple and clean
shapes of the members
used. The high span-to-
depth ratios made
possible through the
use of prestressing,
result in strong, tough,
durable and yet graceful
bridges.
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Prestressed concrete is
efficient because it is
a composite of high-
Cost Efficiencies strength steel and
high-performance
Structural/Engineering concrete. To ensure
this efficiency and to
comply with exacting
Design Aesthetics project
specifications,
PCI Certified Quality precasting plants
have developed
sophisticated quality
assurance programs.
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PCI Certified Quality Precast, prestressed

concrete products
are inspected both
during and
following
production.
In fact, every operation

in the
manufacturing
process provides a
point of inspection
and control.
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PCI Certified Quality Today’s bridge designs

use more high-
performance
materials and
sophisticated
solutions than ever
before. More and
more, engineers are
requiring only
qualified sources
with certified
technicians and
inspectors.
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PCI Certified Quality A plant that is PCI-certified tells the

engineer five important things:
1. The production facility has

 Independent Auditors; demonstrated its capability to
Unannounced Audits produce quality products to the
satisfaction of a nationally
recognized, independent
 Audits Based on consulting engineering and
National Standards inspection firm engaged by PCI for
multiple, unannounced annual
audits.
2. The rigid audits the plant
undergoes are based on published
industry standards – the PCI
Manual for Quality Control for
Plants and Production of Precast
Structural Concrete.
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 Independent Auditors; Five important things cont.:
Unannounced Audits
3. The plant practices a
 Audits Based on documented and PCI-
National Standards approved quality assurance
program open for review.
 Documented Quality System 4. The plant has PCI-certified

QC personnel.
 Certified Personnel 5. The producer has PCI
confirmed capabilities.
 Confirmed Capabilities
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PCI Certified Quality • To maintain PCI Certification,

producers are audited and graded
semi-annually on more than 150
items that include an inspection
of all raw materials; concrete
mixing, placing, finishing and
curing; tensioning and de-
tensioning of strands;
temperature controls; stripping,
stockpiling and inspection of
product. In addition, engineering,
shop drawings, record keeping,
purchasing, personnel training,
and many other practices related
to quality production are
examined. Failure to maintain
acceptable standards makes loss
of certification mandatory.
MAIN
CLICK AND LEARN …
Totally Precast
Concrete
Bridges --
Case Studies
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TOTALLY PRECAST BRIDGES -- CASE STUDIES
Is it possible to design an
“Instant Bridge?”
Almost! There are
many ways to put a
bridge together
quickly with precast
concrete products.
The speed and variety
of precast prestressed
products and methods
give designers many
options. Consider
these advantages of
an all-precast bridge…
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Fast construction benefits owner

Benefits to Owner Agencies: agencies by reducing the
duration of the work zone. Fast
construction reduces traffic
 Reduction in the duration of handling costs and accident
exposure risks. There’s less
work zones inconvenience to the traveling
 Reduced traffic handling costs public, fewer delays, and fewer
motorist complaints. According
 Reduced accident exposure risks to a report by the Texas
Transportation Institute, costs
 Less inconvenience to the incurred by drivers passing
traveling public through a work zone (along with
engineering costs) can be
 Fewer motorist complaints $10,000 to $20,000 per day. A
recent Federal report indicates
user costs of $50,000 per day for
work zones in urban areas.
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Contractors benefit from

Benefits to Contractors: reduced exposure to
traffic hazards. More
 Reduced exposure to hazards work can be
accomplished in less
 More work -- less time time, with fewer
weather delays.
 Fewer weather delays
Costs are lower for
forms, skilled field
 Lower costs
labor, scaffolding
 Less skilled labor and shoring, and
cranes.
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After foundations have

been completed,
scheduling can be
controlled by a
single contractor
working with a
familiar material.
Scheduling Control
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Precast concrete
structural elements
should always be
plant produced
under carefully
controlled
conditions…by
plants that are
Certified by PCI.
Plant-produced Elements
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… so all structural
elements benefit
from the excellent
quality and corrosion
resistance of
prestressed
concrete.
Quality and Corrosion Resistance
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Fully-cured precast
concrete structural
elements can be
stockpiled in
advance of need…
Stockpiled in Advance
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…and can be
scheduled for “just-
in-time” delivery
and erection…
Immediate Delivery and Erection
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There’s no curing time

required at the
jobsite, as with
cast-in-place
concrete. Bridge
piers can be
erected in a day,
and beams can
follow immediately.
No Curing Time
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The following photos illustrate

the many products and
construction methods that
enable very rapid project
completion. In addition to
the often-used
superstructure elements of
girders and deck slabs,
substructure components
such as these piers can
also be precast.
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Precast concrete piles

are quite popular in
much of the
country. They
come in different
sizes and shapes,
ranging from 10-
inch square piles to
66-inch diameter
hollow cylinder
piles.
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Pile caps also can be

precast concrete,
reducing exposure,
forming and curing
in
the field.
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Piers can be made of

precast concrete
pieces quickly
assembled in
the field.
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Abutments can also be

made of precast.
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The Sucker Creek

Bridge in Hague,
New York, consists
of precast concrete
box beams
supported on
precast concrete
abutments
assembled into a
jointless, rigid
frame.
Sucker Creek Bridge in Hague
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In San Juan, Puerto

Rico, the totally
precast concrete
Baldorioty de
Castro Avenue
bridges were built
in record-setting
time, attractively,
and economically.
Puerto Rico
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Each of four bridges,

ranging in length from
700 to 900 feet, was
erected in about 24
hours. This was well
within the owner’s
construction
allowance of 72 hours
per bridge, a
condition established
to minimize
disruption to one of
the city’s highly
Puerto Rico - traveled corridors.
A totally
precast bridge
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In addition to speed,
the bridges also
met the city’s
budgetary needs.
The four box-beam
bridges were
constructed for $2
million less than the
next lowest bid for
another material.
Puerto Rico
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Totally precast bridge systems

may be the only viable
solution in harsh field
conditions.
The Confederation Bridge

connecting Canada’s Prince
Edward Island to mainland
New Brunswick is such
an example.
Confederation Bridge
New Brunswick, Canada The bridge spanned the eight-
mile-wide Northumberland
strait, which experiences
severe winters and is
covered with ice floes for
five months of the year.
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Even in such harsh

conditions, precast
concrete was able
to meet the owner’s
requirements of a
100-year service
life,
a 3½-year
construction
period, and
attractiveness.
Confederation Bridge
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It just makes economic

sense to evaluate
conversion of cast-
in-place to precast
concrete. This was
done for the Edison
Bridge in Florida.
Precast piers and
beams were spliced
to produce tall pier
bents.
Edison Bridge
Florida
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The state of Texas has

constructed several bridges
with segmental precast
concrete piers. The
attractive piers and pier
caps are hollow members.
Some are made of high-
performance concrete.
Such segments may be
match-cast, similar to
segmental box girder
bridges, or separated by a
thin mortar bed, much like
giant masonry units.
Texas - Precast Piers
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In Houston, the Louetta

Road Overpass
utilized precast
concrete match-
cast piers, as well
as precast,
prestressed U-
beams and stay-in-
place deck panels.
Louetta Road Bridge

Texas
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Another famous bridge

is the Sunshine
Skyway Bridge over
Tampa Bay in
Florida. The piles,
piers and pier caps
were constructed of
precast concrete
elements
connected together
with post-
Sunshine Skyway Bridge tensioning
Florida threadbars.
MAIN
CLICK AND LEARN …
The Future
MAIN FORWARD
THE FUTURE
Material properties, such as

corrosion resistance, fire
resistance and durability are
being continuously improved
and exploited.
These inherent qualities of precast

prestressed concrete and its
considerable design flexibility
also make it ideal for a wide
variety of other applications:
poles, piles, culverts, storage
tanks, retaining walls, sound
barriers and even
railroad ties.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
The benefits of High

Performance Concrete are
already beginning to be
applied. These include
reduced initial construction
costs that result from wider
girder spacing and longer
spans as well as reduced
long-term costs due to
fewer replacements and
fewer repairs. High
Performance Concrete is
being increasingly specified
for the nation’s bridges and
structures.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
One form of HPC is high

strength concrete. A
strength of 14,000 psi
was specified here for
the beams of the
Louetta Road Bridge, a
demonstration project,
located in Houston,
Texas. High strength
concrete was also used
in this bridge for the
stay-in-place deck
panels, the cast-in-
place concrete deck
and precast segmental
piers.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
The Giles Road Bridge in Sarpy

County, Nebraska also was
constructed using High Strength
Concrete. Completed in 1996, it is
another example of a bridge with
12,000 to 14,000 psi concrete
girders and a 5,000 to 8,000 psi
concrete deck. The Federal
Highway Administration, together
with PCI and several states,
continues to promote the use of
High Performance Concrete in
bridge applications. For the
precast industry, High
Performance Concrete often
involves higher than average
compressive strength.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
However, other factors, such as low

permeability and resistance to
freeze-thaw – not just strength –
may be features of High
Performance Concrete
depending on the geographic
location of the bridge and the
component for which it is used.
Lightweight aggregate concrete
with strengths in the 7,000 to
10,000 psi range is also being
used on some newer bridges.
Lightweight concrete provides
reduced deadloads and
seismic forces.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
Strands of larger diameters and

higher strengths are becoming
more common as higher
strength concretes are used
and the demand for higher
tensile force increases. When
0.6 inch diameter strands are
used in conjunction with high
strength concrete, in the
10,000 to 12,000 psi range,
standard I-beams and other
products are able to reach
significantly longer spans
never thought possible before.
Even larger and stronger
Corrosion-resistant coatings strand are on the horizon.
Stainless-clad Corrosion-resistant steels and
Corrosion-resistant steel coatings promise unlimited
0.7"?
durability.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
Nonmetallic reinforcement
such as glass, carbon and
aramid fiber composites
will be increasingly used
for special applications. A
recent demonstration
project has shown the
compatibility of carbon
fiber strands for
prestressing a bridge
girder. Both, internally
bonded prestressing and
external unbonded
prestressing systems are
used.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
Synthetic, organic and

steel fibers have been
shown to improve
toughness and
shrinkage cracking.
Recent developments
in high performance
fiber-reinforced
concrete hold promise
in terms of
performance and cost-
effectiveness.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
Another development has been the use

of precast deck panels. Used as
stay-in-place forms, the panels
reduce labor for field placement of
reinforcing steel and concrete for
bridge decks, resulting in
considerable savings. The panels
become composite with the field-
placed concrete for live loads.
They’re made of high-quality, plant-
produced concrete and contain the
primary tensile reinforcement
between beams. They remain
crack-free, protecting this
important reinforcing steel.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
Full-depth precast deck panels

promise to provide the solution
for extended closings due to
deck replacement. The
technique applies to new
construction as well. Precast
highway paving panels are
being demonstrated in Texas to
speed lane widenings and
reduce traffic closures and
detours. Refined materials and
methods are making these
solution an exciting new part of
the designers tool box.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
Another innovation is the

development of
horizontally curved
precast concrete
bridges which is
creating exciting new
options in
contemporary bridge
designs. This technique
involves post-
tensioning precast
elements together in the
plants before shipment
or in the field
after erection.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
And yet another solution for

curved structures is
segmental construction.
Working together with the
American Segmental Bridge
Institute (ASBI) and the
AASHTO Bridge
Subcommittee, PCI has
endorsed a family of
standard shapes for
segmental bridges that is
intended to reduce the cost
of segmental bridges for
smaller structures such as
urban grade separations.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
Prestressed concrete
got its start as the
original composite
material and further
developments by
the industry and its
suppliers have
continued to refine
the performance of
the product for the
bridge market.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

THE FUTURE
Today, it still gives the

public extremely good
value for its money.
The reputation of the
precast prestressed
concrete industry has
been built on the
strength, imagination,
consistency and
integrity of its people
and products alike. In
the future, it will
continue to be the
solution of choice.
MAIN BACK FORWARD

Questions?
This concludes the American Institute of Architects Continuing
Education Systems Program. Thank you for your time!
www.pci.org

Precast Bridge Design and Construction

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Precast Bridge Design and Construction

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Precast/Prestressed Bridges

In this program, owners and designers will learn

After participating in this program, you will be

• Explain the advantages of using prestressed

• Differentiate non-precast bridges from totally precast

• Consider the low cost, low maintenance requirements, and

Growth in the Demand for

Totally Precast Bridges --

The single most important

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One was Professor

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The books on the

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The combination of high

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Other early innovations

Accelerated Curing curing with heat; and

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PCI Certified Quality PCI’s Plant Certification program

PCI Plant Certification assures

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30% bridges have been

This represents 30% of

108,000 during the period.

Bridge Construction From 1990 through

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Deck Surface Area Now, consider the deck surface

1990 - 1999 area of bridges built from

59% of area of U.S. numbered bridges

Bridges Built Owners and designers

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PCI Certified Quality

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Many bridge designers

Design Aesthetics Coupled with savings

PCI Certified Quality precast bridges offer

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Cost Efficiencies and An old bridge located on a

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Cost Efficiencies and • The precast

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Cost Efficiencies and The state of Minnesota

The 700-foot-long bridge

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Cost Efficiencies and A Minnesota

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Cost Efficiencies and Precast, prestressed

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Cost Efficiencies and In a full-deck bridge, the

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Cost Efficiencies and Substandard bridges

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Cost Efficiencies and …but it may be easier and

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Cost Efficiencies and Bridge departments are

This Florida bridge,