Design criteria of continuity slabs for precast concrete beams decks of highway bridges

Abstract

Prestressed precast concrete beam decks are an usual alternative for medium span highway bridges. Keeping isostatic the structural scheme of this bridges, it is convenient to link the compression slabs of adjacent spans, in order to get a continuous rolling surface avoiding uncomfortable joints. In this paper, after the study of actions and the structural linear behaviour of the complete bridge, a theoretical analysis of the continuity slab, in serviceability and failure conditions, are carried out taken into account cracking of sections and material non linearities, deducing design criteria for this structural element.