Cumulative Damage to Bridge Concrete Deck Slabs Due to Vehicle Loading

Abstract

The objective of this project is to evaluate the cumulative damage caused by vehicle loading to bridge concrete deck slabs. As part of this study, an existing analytical model has been implemented to evaluate the effect of user loads on a statistical sample of bridge deck slabs. In addition, an extensive literature review was conducted to determine the state of the art for cumulative deck slab damage evaluation. This review forms the basis for the deck slab FORTRAN program developed for this study. Results of the bridge deck study indicate the influence of a very large exponent used for bridge decks. The relationship between environmental and mechanical factors in bridge deck deterioration is particularly important. The very high number of cycles to failure implies that the damage to bridge decks due to mechanical loading is insignificant compared to environmental factors, a conclusion that seems to be supported by the literature review.