Zachry Department of Civil Engineering
Prestressed concrete bridge research is innovating the way bridges are built, reports Dr. Mary Beth Hueste in recent studies with the Texas Department of Transportation.
This collaborative research helps further the potential for precast, prestressed concrete bridge systems, which allow bridge components to be fabricated off-site and then constructed on-site. This ensures that the bridges are not only built more quickly, but with greater efficiency and higher quality. The method is also cost-effective for taxpayers.
Hueste’s team first focused on continuous prestressed concrete girder bridges. Most precast girders are limited to 160 feet due to transport weight and length restrictions. With in-span spliced girder technology and continuous prestressing installed at the bridge site, researchers found span length could be nearly doubled.
They also investigated a short span slab beam system. Spreading beams apart, with less expensive precast concrete panels in between, and using a cast-in-place concrete deck produced a viable, cost-effective design.
Read the original story about Dr. Hueste’s research.
