Experimental evaluation and field monitoring of self-consolidating concrete prestressed box beams implemented in a demonstration bridge

Self Consolidating Concrete (SCC) is a tailorable concrete with superior fresh properties that can lead to reduced production times and costs in precast/prestressed element production. Concerns from Departments of Transportation about the use of SCC in highway bridges have prevented these potential benefits from being fully realized in the production of precast/prestressed bridge beams. A demonstration bridge utilizing SCC was built to allow the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to evaluate the use of SCC in bridge beams including the beam production process and short and long term performance of SCC beams. Experimental evaluations were used to find the flexural and shear capacities of the SCC beams, while long-term evaluations included continuous strain and temperature monitoring of the beams in the demonstration bridge. Reduced production times of 60% and reduced labor requirements of nearly 50% were realized during the production of the bridge beams. The flexural and shear capacities of the SCC beams were very similar to the capacities of the NCC beams with all beams surpassing design requirements. Similar trends have been realized in the continuous strain readings of the demonstration bridge. While monitoring of the demonstration bridge continues, the results of the evaluation have shown that SCC can by successfully utilized in precast prestressed bridge beams for highway bridges.