9. Outlook in the Field of Deck Bridges

The book in question pertains to some selected issues regarding composite steel and concrete structural members. It contains information on the state-of-the-art designs and constructional technologies in the field of composite structures in Slovakia and abroad. Particular attention is drawn to deck bridges with encased filler-beams to show some new possibilities and challenges in such structures. This type of construction is well-suited to bridge obstacles over short spans, and it is currently exploited to bridge sluices, culverts, rivers, roads, and other obstacles as wide as up to 18 m. Still, it is only the I-sections that are encased as the rigid reinforcement in most cases. Another purpose of this work was to bring a new progressive modified and experimentally verified shape of steel section into the civil engineering world. The steel box section provides an improved method of composite action/shear connection, ensured by the holes made both in the top flange and the webs of the steel beam. Another advantage of the steel box section rests in its exceptional flexural stiffness, which can guarantee that the beam will bear the dead weight of the fresh concrete in the construction process if necessary.