Articles

An Analytical Study of the Structural Performance of Hybrid Deck Bulb Tee (HDBT) Elements for Superstructure Replacement

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Abstract

Approximately 7.5% of bridges in the United States are deemed structurally deficient, with a current backlog of bridge repair costs standing at $125 billion. In the years to come, there is a need for bridge replacements, as well as improved materials and building methods to guarantee the durability of such structures. To this end, a new hybrid beam element known as the Hybrid Deck Bulb Tee (HDBT) has been proposed. This HDBT uses a staged fabrication process to tackle existing limitations of pre-stressed beams, such as unpredictable camber and tension in the top flange. The bottom flange is cast with Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) and pre-stressed before the web and top flange are cast with High-Performance Concrete (HPC). This results in the main component of tension existing in the bottom flange for standard beams. Pre-compression applied to the bottom flange of the HDBT removes this tension and also eradicates the propensity for cracks at the end of the beam and decking, due to the load being applied in the HDBT's manufacturing process. The HDBT's manufacturing process enables more accurate predictions of camber and also allows for a significant reduction in the size and depth of the beams. This paper details an analytical study to evaluate the structural performance of the proposed HDBT elements.

Keywords: Ultra High Performance Concrete, bridge replacement, durability

How to Cite:

Aguero-Barrantes, P., Hain, A. & Royce, M., (2023) “An Analytical Study of the Structural Performance of Hybrid Deck Bulb Tee (HDBT) Elements for Superstructure Replacement”, International Interactive Symposium on Ultra-High Performance Concrete 3(1): 87. doi: https://doi.org/10.21838/uhpc.16696

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