Slab panel bridges (elsewhere referred to as “flat-slab” bridges) are constructed using multipleprecast-pretensioned slab panels placed side-by-side and acting compositely with a cast-in-placeconcrete topping. Design standards from the Florida Department of Transportation specify thatindividual slab panels be supported by a tripod system of bearing pads. A single bearing pad isplaced at one end, and two bearing pads at the opposite end. This paper presents experimentalresearch on the effect that bearing pad arrangement has on the behavior and capacity of slabpanel members. Four full-scale tests on slab panels were conducted, with variables including thebearing pad arrangement (single or double bearing pad), and the position of the load point (a/d of2.0 and 3.3). For slab panels loaded at a/d of 3.3, test results indicate that the behavior andcapacity are independent of bearing pad arrangement. For the panel loaded at a/d of 2.0 with asingle bearing pad, the failure mode was bond-shear. The panel loaded at a/d of 2.0 with twobearing pads failed in flexure. Experimental results are compared to theoretical capacitiescalculated using ACI and AASHTO codes. Design recommendations are made based on theexperimental results and on the comparison with theoretical capacities.
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