Unprotected polymer fiber reinforced concrete deck as a wearing surface of a bridge: Pilot application

摘要

In Europe, a deck of a concrete bridge usually consists of several layers with specialized functions. The concept where all the functions are integrated into one layer (called "unprotected concrete bridge deck - UCBD" in this paper) is popular in the North America. This paper deals with design, construction and monitoring of the pilot UCBD structure in the Czech Republic. Considering the requirements on the structure and the material, polymer fiber reinforced concrete (PFRC) was selected as the most suitable alternative. The composition of the material was optimized during an extensive experimental program. The developed material was then applied on a small-span bridge on a local road. The presented pilot structure is the first of its kind in the Czech Republic and according to the knowledge of the authors, PFRC has not been used for UCBD anywhere else in Europe before. A cost analysis was carried out to estimate the economic efficiency of the solution. Total direct savings reached 5% of the total costs of the project. The pilot structure will be subjected to long-term monitoring with the aim to verify the reliability of the new concept and to perform a more detailed life cycle cost analysis. The results of monitoring after the first year showed satisfactory performance of the structure.