Wood-Based Prefabricated Composite-Acting Bridge Deck

Abstract

The paper describes the testing and finite element analysis of an experimental half-scale (approximately) wood-based, prefabricated, composite acting bridge deck that utilizes composite action between the decking and stringers. The 12-meter span (6-meter span in the model version) full-sized deck on which current developments is based uses three round log stringers with a diameter greater than 500 mm per 3.2 meter span design lane and plywood decking that can be up to 170 mm thick. The composite action enables the decks to meet strength requirements for the heaviest highway loads (M1600) specified in the Australian Standard