Flexural Performance of Prefabricated Composite Girders along with Precast Deck-to-Girder Continuous Connections

Recently, a great amount of research has been carried out to resolve a growing need for durable and resilient highway bridge construction/reconstruction systems in many countries. As a part of such studies, prefabricated composite girders with innovative precast deck-to-girder continuous connections have been proposed that facilitate construction by eliminating interference during on-site processes. This study aims to figure out the effects on the flexural performance of the prefabricated composite girders along with the non-interference deployment of the precast deck-to-girder interface connections. In this study, two test specimens of the prefabricated composite girder were designed. Ultimate bending tests were conducted to experimentally evaluate the behavior of shear interfaces and flexural performances of the test specimen girders. It was revealed from this study that the intersection of the lap connection between the transverse deck reinforcement and the shear connectors will have a significant effect on the flexural performance of the prefabricated composite girder. The flexural performance of the prefabricated composite girder with intersected connection type is ensured while the non-intersected connection type influences the flexural performance more seriously than the intersected connection type. The AASHTO LRFD specifications appears applicable to the existing intersected connection details. Further, a series of parametric studies based on the verified finite element model were performed to examine the influence of various dominant factors on the flexural moment strength of the prefabricated composite girder. From the results of parametric studies, conclusions were drawn. The results of this study could be used for future research to establish a procedure for evaluating the bending resistance capacity of prefabricated composite girders based on structural ductility through rotating capacity.