Structural Concrete Design and Curing Investigation

Bridge deck replacement is costly. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has had a mixed experience in the performance of these bridge decks. According to Linford and Reaveley (2004) 70 out of the 71 bridges that were investigated along I-15 had some type of cracking within a few years after completion. However, some bridges decks built prior to the I-15 project have performed well with minimal problems. This research focused on the investigation of deck cracking as a function of the mix design and curing conditions. It is believed by some that reductions in the shrinkage of the concrete deck mix by as little as 20% would reduce the concrete bridge deck cracking significantly. For this research, this reduction in shrinkage was sought through adjustments in the mix design or better curing practices.