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Project Details
STATUS

Completed

START DATE

05/01/15

END DATE

12/31/16

FOCUS AREAS

Infrastructure

RESEARCH CENTERS InTrans, BEC, CTRE, MTC
SPONSORS

HDR, Inc.
Midwest Transportation Center
USDOT/OST-R

Researchers
Principal Investigator
Vellore Gopalaratnam

About the research

Proper design and selection of wearing surfaces can significantly enhance the fatigue life of the bridge, contributing to a cost-effective rehabilitation of such bridges. In addition, new orthotropic decks can be built, that are cost-competitive with other types of bridge configurations. A steel fiber-reinforced lightweight concrete (SFRLWC) wearing surface recently designed for use on the Poplar Street Bridge (PSB) provides stiffness to the flexible orthotropic steel deck while at the same time exhibiting less sensitive thermal softening characteristics compared to polymeric or asphalt-based wearing surfaces. The wearing surface on the PSB also uses continuous steel reinforcing bars and shear studs to anchor the wearing surface to the deck plate. The need for use of continuous reinforcement with low clear covers can be eliminated with proper engineering of the fiber composite system. Optimizing the design of the fiber reinforced concrete composite for this application will allow superior performance and reduced costs by also allowing a redesign of the currently used shear-stud-based anchoring system. Mechanical and durability characteristics desired in wearing surfaces can also be engineered in the systematic optimization of the SFRLWC composite proposed.


Funding Sources:
HDR, Inc. ($76,500.00)
Midwest Transportation Center
USDOT/OST-R ($50,000.00)
Total: $126,500.00

Contract Number: DTRT13-G-UTC37

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