Badie, Tadros & Usdan 2008 NBC

RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES FOR FULL-DEPTH, PRECAST-CONCRETE,

BRIDGE DECK PANEL SYSTEMS

Sameh S. Badie, PhD, PE, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA
Maher K. Tadros, PhD, PE, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
Rachel M. Usdan, M.Sc., ET, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA

ABSTRACT

Public inconvenience and loss of income during bridge construction and

rehabilitation have prompted exploration of rapid construction methods for
highway bridge decks. Full-depth, precast concrete deck panel systems have
been increasingly used to replace cast-in-place decks to enhance speed of
deck construction. In addition to high construction speed, full-depth, precast
panel systems have many advantages, such as high quality plant production
under tight tolerances, low permeability, much reduced volume changes due
to shrinkage and temperature change during initial curing, and low
maintenance cost.

TRB has recently published the NCHRP Report 584, titled “Full-Depth
Precast Concrete Bridge Deck Panel Systems.” The report summarizes the
results of the NCHRP 12-65 project, sponsored by the National Cooperative
Highway Research Program, and completed in 2007. The objectives of this
project were to develop: (1) recommended guidelines and LRFD
specifications language for design, fabrication and construction of full-
depth, precast-concrete bridge deck panel systems, and (2) connection
details for new deck panel systems.

This paper presents the guidelines developed in the NCHRP 12-65 project,
regarding design, detailing, construction and handling of full-depth precast
deck panel systems. The intent of the guidelines is to provide answers of the
most frequent issues that are holding design engineers back from
considering full depth precast deck panels for use on bridges.

Keywords: precast, concrete, full depth, deck, panel, bridge, specifications, guidelines

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INTRODUCTION

The United States national highway system celebrated the 50th anniversary of its creation in
2006. Our country is fortunate to have an extensive network of highways maintained by the
US Department of Transportation (DOT), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and
the various state departments of transportation. However, the maintenance of those roads is a
demanding, disruptive, and never-ending process. Repair and replacement of roads and
bridges causes traffic congestion and delays. The FHWA encourages the development of
new construction materials and methods that can help alleviate the problems caused by the
deteriorating highways. Full-depth precast-concrete bridge deck panel systems are one such
innovative idea that can improve the US highway system.

Full-depth precast-concrete bridge deck panel systems are different from full-depth cast-in-
place concrete (CIP) or partial-depth CIP concrete deck with precast concrete stay-in-place
(SIP) forms. A full-depth precast system may include prestressed and/or post-tensioned
reinforcing, while the other design methods are reinforced with conventional mild steel
reinforcing bars.

The use of full-depth precast concrete deck panels in highway bridges in the United States
started as early as 19651. The motive behind using this construction system has been to
increase the speed of construction of the deck for rehabilitation projects, especially in areas
with high traffic volume where traffic closures have high costs and cause inconvenience to
the public. Over the years, design engineers have started to see that this construction system
is advantageous not only for rehabilitation projects but also for new construction. This is due
to: (1) the relatively high construction speed, (2) higher quality of precast decks that
minimize future maintenance costs and increase their service life, (3) reduced risk of
construction accidents especially for bridge repair projects where traffic is allowed to
continue adjacent to the construction as it is relatively less labor intensive, and (4) lower life-
cycle cost as it requires minimum future maintenance. Another advantage of the full-depth
precast-concrete bridge deck panel system is its ability to be used in environmentally
sensitive areas. During conventional CIP construction, the construction team needs access
underneath the bridge to install formwork, position steel reinforcing and pour concrete. This
process can negatively affect the natural surroundings underneath and adjacent to the site of
the bridge. Because a large percentage of precast construction is done at the precast plant
away from the site, there is less opportunity to disrupt the environment at the site2.

In order to make the full-depth precast-concrete bridge deck panel system an option that
design engineers more readily choose, it is critical to develop design guidelines and
specifications. These documents provide the design engineer with the framework that he or
she needs to utilize this system in compliance with code requirements and in a cost- and
time-effective manner. A relatively small amount of specifications are provided in the
current American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Load
and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Bridge Design Specifications2 that can be applied to
full-depth precast-concrete bridge deck panel systems. Likewise, design engineers who are
interested in using full-depth precast-concrete bridge deck panel systems have to search

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through a vast amount of scattered publications such as technical papers, DOT specifications,
and research reports for guidelines that can be applied to these systems. This paper aims to
communicate useful guidelines and specifications, along with helpful commentary to the
design engineer.

The objective of this paper is to present a summary of the guidelines developed in the
NCHRP 12-65 project3, regarding design, detailing, construction and handling of full-depth
precast deck panel systems.

GUIDELINES DEVELOPED IN NCHRP 12-65

The intent of these guidelines is to provide answers of the most frequent issues that are
holding design engineers back from considering full depth precast deck panels for use on
bridges. The guidelines are arranged in five sections: (1) Design Elements, (2) Detailing, (3)
Fabrication, Storage, Handling and Transportation, (4) Installation and Grinding, and (5)
Deck Removal. Each section is divided into a number of sub sections as needed. The
guidelines were developed after careful review of the available literatures, research reports,
DOT manuals, AASHTO Specifications, and plans and specifications of many bridges
recently built with full depth precast concrete deck panels. The guidelines are accompanied
with proper references to the AASHTO Standard5 and LRFD3 Specifications as needed.

(1) DESIGN ELEMENTS

(1-1) Slab Thickness

1. Section 9.7.5 of AASHTO LRFD Specifications recommends a minimum thickness of 7

in (178 mm) excluding any provision for grinding or grooving a sacrificial surface.
2. The minimum slab thickness is controlled by the minimum concrete cover requirements.
AASHTO Standard and LRFD Specifications require a 2 in (50 mm) minimum concrete
cover on the top layer of reinforcement and a 1 in (25 mm) minimum cover on the bottom
layer of reinforcement. It has been found that to satisfy the minimum concrete cover
limits and to insure adequate reinforcement clearances, especially if longitudinal post-
tensioning is provided, the minimum slab thickness should be 7½ in (190 mm).
3. Structurally, a 7½ in (190 mm) thick slab can be used satisfactorily for deck slabs with
girder spacing up to 10 to 11 ft (3.05 to 3.35 m). Typically, it is more economical to use
the least possible number of girder lines rather than reducing the slab thickness based on
satisfying the flexural capacity. Also, it has been found that a girder spacing between 10
and 12 ft (3.05 and 3.66 m) usually produces the most economical superstructure system
for a slab/girder bridge.

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(1-2) Composite Action

1. Full composite action between the precast deck and the girders of the superstructure is
created after the grout in the shear pocket gains adequate strength.
2. The design engineer has to consider the performance of the supporting girders prior to
having the full composite action. During this stage the girder has to support the
following loads without accounting for help from the deck: (1) its self weight, (2) the
dead load of the precast deck, and (3) construction loads such as crew members and
equipment used in handling and installing the panels. Loads added after the deck is made
composite with the girder are resisted by the composite slab/girder section.
3. If the bridge is allowed to open to traffic before the composite action is achieved, the
design engineer has to consider two groups of loading: (1) girder and deck weights plus
construction loads, and (2) girder and deck weights plus traffic loads. The design
engineer might have to enforce a low speed limit on the bridge, under these conditions, to
minimize the impact effects of the moving traffic on the girders.
4. Prestressed concrete girders shall be designed for serviceability and strength.
Conventionally reinforced concrete and steel girders shall be designed for strength. For
steel members the design engineer is required to check the top flange against local
buckling and may use temporary bracing to support the top flange during this stage if
buckling is a concern. This should be checked whether the girders and slab are going to
be compositely connected or not.
5. Since the majority of the supporting girders are cambered for dead load when they are
installed on the bridge, the design engineer has to consider the minimum height of the
haunch between the deck slab and the girder to determine the geometric properties of the
composite section.
6. To determine the geometric properties of the composite slab/girder section, the design
engineer has to use the effective flange width of the slab as given in Section 4.6.2.6.1 of
the AASHTO LRFD Specifications. Also, the design engineer has to consider the
difference in material between the slab and the girder by incorporating the modular ratio
in the calculations.
7. In order to check stresses in the slab at service stage, if the slab is longitudinally post-
tensioned, which is typically done before making the slab composite with the girder, the
design engineer has to add the longitudinal post-tensioning stresses in the slab to those
resulted from the composite section analysis.
8. If the longitudinal post-tensioning reinforcement in the slab is not uniformly distributed
over the slab width (i.e. it is concentrated over or between the girder lines), the design
engineer has to conduct rigorous analysis to determine the exact distribution of the
longitudinal post-tensioning stresses in the deck slab.
9. If the slab is not made composite with the girder, then all the straining actions resulting
from loads added after installing the precast slab will be distributed between the slab and
the girder based on their relative stiffness. However, it is conservative to consider all of
the loads to be supported only by the girder.

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(1-3) Staged Construction

1. If no longitudinal post-tensioning is used in the precast deck, each segment of the precast
deck constructed during one “construction period” should be made composite with the
superstructure before the bridge is open to traffic. Also, the method of determining the
grout strength should be specified.
2. The design engineer should specify the start and end locations on the deck of each
“construction period”. Also, he or she must consider the effect of the overall construction
scheme on the superstructure. For example, if the contractor will not be able to construct
one full span during one “construction period”, the composite girder-deck member will not
have uniform properties along its length due to the difference in thickness and concrete
strength between the existing and new deck. Another example, if the old bridge had been
made continuous over the piers and the contractor could not restore this continuity by the
end of one “construction period”, the design engineer has to check the girder capacity as a
simply supported beam. This check must be done not only for the spans adjacent to the
pier where the continuity is lost, but also for all affected spans of the bridge.
3. If longitudinal post-tensioning is provided with staged construction, the end panel of every
“construction period” has to be provided with special devices that allow anchoring of the
longitudinal post-tensioning of the current “construction period” and splicing it with the
longitudinal post-tensioning of the next “construction period”. It is possible that the
stresses in an end panel due to the longitudinal post-tensioning force will be doubled if two
separate anchorages are used for the current and next “construction period”.
4. It is a common practice that temporary barriers are installed close to the edge of a newly
installed stage, to open it for traffic while the second stage is under construction. The
design engineer has to consider this load as part of the loads applied to the precast panel
during this stage. The location of the barriers used in the calculations should be chosen to
produce the highest straining actions on the deck. Additionally, the weight of the
temporary barriers may cause the precast panels to deform in a way that alters the panel’s
elevation especially at the closure pour location. It is recommended that the temporary
barriers be removed and the panel’s elevation at the edge be checked before installing the
closure pour.

(1-4) Joint Details

Panel-to-girder joint detail

1. Shear connectors clustered in groups can be used and should be made to match the shear
pocket locations of the precast panels.
2. Experimental investigation (NCHRP 12-65) has shown that the stud cluster spacing can
be extended up to 4 ft (1220 mm), without affecting the full-composite behavior of the
system, if confinement for the stud group and the grout surrounding it is provided.
Confinement helps to distribute the shear force among the studs in each cluster, and to
protect the grout at the base of each stud against crushing.

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3. Confinement can be provided by using hollow structural steel (HSS) tubes or closed ties
set horizontally across the panel thickness. If closed ties are used, the lowest tie should
be placed as close to the top surface of the girder as possible.
4. Equation 5.8.4.1-1of the existing LRFD Specifications, shall be used to estimate the
ultimate capacity of stud clusters spaced up to 4 ft (1220 mm) for steel and concrete
composite beams.
5. For steel composite beams:
a. Equation 6.10.10.2-1 of the existing LRFD Specifications, that is currently used
to estimate the fatigue capacity for single studs, does not require modification for
design of stud clusters spaced up to 4 ft (1220 mm) apart.
b. Equation 6.10.10.4.3-1 of the existing LRFD Specifications, for single studs
should not be used for stud clusters at 2 to 4 ft (610 to 1220 mm) spacing. This
recommendation is expected to result in about 30 percent increase in the required
number of studs.
c. The preceding recommendation, 5.b., is based on the results of the push-off
testing of stud groups at 4 ft (1220 mm) spacing, which gave about 30 percent
lower capacity than the current LRFD Equation 6.10.10.4.3-1 for single studs.
This conclusion may be unnecessarily conservative as the push-off testing is not
as realistic in modeling beam behavior as an actual beam test, which showed no
reduction in capacity due to the use of stud clusters. However, this does not
significantly impact the overall economy of a bridge.

Transverse panel-to-panel joint detail

6. A grout-filled joint should be provided between adjacent panels. Direct butting between
adjacent panels must be avoided.
7. Grout has to fill the full height of the joint. Wood forming installed under the panel or
galvanized metal plates attached to the panel should be used to achieve this goal.
8. Shear friction theory as given by the AASHTO LRFD Specification can be used to check
the shear capacity of the joint.
9. For bridge decks on a horizontal curvature, it is recommended to use trapezoidal panels
to keep the width of the joint constant and to a minimum. For bridges with large
horizontal curvature, rectangular panels may be used to simplify the production process
of the panels. A 1.0 in (25 mm) minimum width for the joint should be used whether
trapezoidal or rectangular shaped panels are used.
10. Flowable, self-leveling, non-shrink grout mix should be used.
11. If no overlay is used over the precast panels, the finishing of the top surface of the grout
filling in the joint should match the finishing of the precast panel.

Longitudinal panel-to-panel joint detail

12. This joint will result only if multiple panels are used across the width of a bridge. This
may occur due to staged construction or to avoid crowning of the panels.
13. If the joint is not directly over a girder flange, positive moment reinforcement should be
adequately coupled. The width of the joint should be adequate to provide the necessary
coupling device.

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14. If the joint is over a girder flange, investigation of negative moment capacity should be
made and reinforcement provided accordingly. Top reinforcement continuity would be
needed to, as a minimum, control longitudinal cracking over the girder line.
15. Precast crowned panels may be used if satisfactorily produced and installed.

Old-to-new deck joint detail

16. A temporary connection between the old and new deck should be developed. The
connection should satisfy the following conditions:
a. It should not cause high stress concentrations in the existing or new deck.
b. It should not require drilling holes or modifying the standard new precast
panels.
c. It should be able to be installed and removed with minimum disruption to
traffic on the bridge, or below the bridge in overpass situations.
17. An edge support should be provided for the last precast panel, installed in each
construction period, to protect it from excessive stress.

(1-5) Longitudinal Post-Tensioning

1. Post-tensioning (PT) force should be applied only to the precast deck. Therefore, the
panel-to-girder connection should not be constructed until the PT reinforcement is
tensioned and anchored.
2. The minimum average effective stress on concrete due to PT, after considering all types
of losses and longitudinal flexural stresses in continuous span bridges, should not be less
than 0.250 ksi. This recommendation is consistent with Section 9.7.5.3 of the AASHTO
LRFD Specification.
3. It is recommended that PT tendons are uniformly distributed across the slab width and
that they are not farther apart, center-to-center, than 4 times the total composite minimum
thickness of the slab. In this case, the average stress due to PT reinforcement can be
determined using flexural elastic stress distribution, i.e. P/A ±MC/I. The composite
thickness refers to slabs with bonded overlays. This recommendation is consistent with
Section 5.10.3.4 of the AASHTO LRFD Specification.
4. If the longitudinal post-tensioning reinforcement in the slab is not uniformly distributed
across the slab width, i.e. it is concentrated at or between the girder lines, then the design
engineer shall conduct rigorous analysis to determine the exact distribution of the
longitudinal post-tensioning stresses in the deck slab. Rigorous analysis includes finite
element analysis, plate analysis, or any analysis that can accurately detect the stress
distribution across the deck width.
5. The minimum concrete cover as stated by Section 5.12.3 of the LRFD Specification
should be maintained on all anchorage and splicing devices of the PT reinforcement for
corrosion protection.
6. The maximum jacking stress in the PT reinforcement should not exceed 80 percent of the
specified minimum ultimate tensile strength of the PT steel.
7. When longitudinal PT is provided with staged construction, the end panel of every
construction period shall be provided with special devices that allow anchoring of the

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longitudinal PT of the current construction period and splicing it with the longitudinal PT
of the next construction period. It is possible that the stresses in an end panel due to the
longitudinal PT force will be doubled if two separate anchorages are used for the current
and next construction period.

(1-6) Overhang Design

1. The slab overhang should not be made shallower than the interior slab.
2. At least two sections inside the overhang should be designed-one at the inner face of the
side barrier and the other at the critical section over the exterior girder line.
3. The overhang should not be tapered. This is because: (1) to simplify the fabrication
process, and (2) to satisfy the flexural demand of the overhang at the interior face of the
barrier.
4. The load effects of the overhang can be determined in accordance with Section A13.4.1
of the AASHTO LRFD Specification.
5. Special attention should be given to the design of the slab overhang with regard to the
development of prestressing and conventional reinforcement. Effective reinforcement
stress should be prorated based on the available embedment length at the section under
consideration.
6. If the prestressing reinforcement cannot develop the required strength within the slab
overhang, mild reinforcement and/or post-tensioning may be utilized.
7. The conventional reinforcement should not be larger than a number 6 bar.
8. Special arrangements can be used to reduce the development length of prestressing and
conventional reinforcement such as using mechanical anchorage devices and confining
the concrete surrounding the reinforcement by high strength spirals.

(2) DETAILING

(2-1) Shear Keys

1. It is recommended to use grouted shear key transverse joints between adjacent panels.
Although grouted joints require more time and labor to be done in the field, compared to
the match-cast concrete-grouted joints, they provide higher construction tolerance and
guarantee full contact between adjacent panels.
2. In order to have a successful shear key detail, the following issues should be considered:
a. The top edge of the shear key should be recessed about 1/2 to 1 in (25 mm)
relative to the bottom edge. This will give the contractor flexibility in filling the
joint with grout while minimizing the risk of having poorly consolidated grout.
b. A 1 in (25 mm) wide gap should be provided between adjacent panels at the
bottom edge of the shear key. This gap will provide enough tolerance for the
fabrication and the construction process.
c. It is recommended to build the form for the grout filling the gap from the bottom
surface of the panels upwards. The forms can be hung from the top surface of the
panel or they can be attached to the bottom surface of the panels using special

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inserts provided during the fabrication of the panels. Wood, metal, plastic, or
foam can be used to build the form.
d. In the case when longitudinal post-tensioning is used in the precast deck system,
the shear key may be replaced with a straight vertical edge joint. The vertical
edges should be intentionally roughened to optimize the shear capacity of the
interface between the grout and the panel.
e. Roughening can be achieved by sand blasting the panel edges followed by a
thorough washing procedure. This operation can be done in the precast yard after
curing of the panels or on the bridge site before installing the panels on the bridge.
f. Roughening can also be provided during fabrication of the panels by painting the
side forms with a retarding agent. After removing the side forms, the panel edges
are washed with water under high pressure, so that the aggregate of the concrete
will be exposed and a roughened surface is created.
g. In the case when longitudinal post-tensioning is used in the precast deck system,
blockouts or pockets should be provided at the panel’s edge in order to provide
enough space for splicing the longitudinal post-tensioning ducts and secure their
joints against possible leakage. See also the Shear Pocket Guidelines for more
information.
3. Some of the recommended shapes for the shear key are given in Figure 1. These details
have been used successfully by many state DOTs.
1/2" 1 1/2" 1/2"
2" 2" 2"

1 3/4" 2"
1/2"
2"
8" 3 1/2" 8"
2 1/2"
3/4"
1 1/2" 1 1/2"
1"
1"

Figure 1 - Examples of Female-to-Female Type Joints

(2-2) Shear Pockets

1. The shear pocket can be full or partial height of the panel thickness.
2. If no overlay is provided on the precast deck system, it is recommended to use partial-
height shear pockets, for the following reasons:
a. To protect the deck from water leakage at the interface between the sides of the
shear pocket and the grout filling it.
b. To avoid non-uniformity in color on the top surface of the deck.

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3. The depth of partial-height pockets should satisfy all of the following conditions. These
conditions shall be satisfied at every point over the girder length.
a. The shear connector should be embedded in the shear pocket so that its highest
point is at least 2 in (50 mm) above the bottom layer of transverse reinforcement
in the panel.
b. Maintain a 1/2 in (13 mm) minimum clearance between the highest point of the
shear connector and the pocket.
c. Maintain a 2 in (50 mm) minimum distance between the highest point of the shear
connector and the top surface of the panel.
4. Partial-height pockets should be provided with injection ports and vents. A 1 1/2 to 2 in
(38 to 50 mm) diameter injection port is recommended to provide enough flexibility
during injection. Two or more vents should be provided if the width of the pocket is
greater than 10 in (254 mm). The vents should be provided on the opposite side of the
injection port to guarantee complete filling of the pocket.
5. If the spacing between pockets is greater than 24 in (610 mm), an intermediate injection
port should be provided in the panel.

(2-3) Longitudinal Post-Tensioning

1. It is recommended to provide the PT reinforcement as near to mid-height of the panel as

possible to avoid residual deflection or camber of the slab.
2. The type and size of the PT reinforcement should be chosen so that the minimum
concrete cover on the main (transverse) reinforcement is satisfied.
3. The transverse edges of the precast panel should be provided with blockouts at the
location of PT ducts to allow coupling of the PT ducts. Relatively larger blockouts
should be used at joints where the PT reinforcement is spliced.
4. The end panels should be designed to accommodate an anchorage device. Exact
dimensions of the anchorage device should be obtained from the PT reinforcement
supplier.

(2-4) Haunches

1. A minimum 1-inch (25 mm) thick haunch should be provided between the precast panels
and the supporting girder to allow for any misalignment or irregularity and to guarantee
complete filling of the haunch with grout.
2. If it is desired not to totally fill the haunch with grout for the entire width of the top
flange, the grout shall extend horizontally at least 2 in (50 mm) beyond the pocket width.
The grouted area must be provided with adequate ventilation to ensure the absence of
trapped air.

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(2-5) Leveling

1. The elevation of the precast panel can be adjusted using leveling bolts or stay-in-place
angle grout dams. The following equation should be used to determine the grade of the
deck panels after being installed on the bridge:
DG = FG – WS + DCL
where, DG = Deck grade after installing the panels on the bridge
FG = Final grade of the deck (known)
WS = Thickness of the wearing surface (known)
DCL = Deflection due to composite loads. DCL is determined from the
structural analysis of the composite deck/girder system. Composite
loads refer to any loads added to the deck after the composite action
between the deck and the girders is provided, such as wearing surface,
barriers, and utility loads.
2. The following issues should be considered if leveling bolts are used:
a. All leveling bolts and their inserts should be corrosion resistant.
b. Each bolt should be torque to insure that there is approximately equal bearing on
each leveling bolt providing proper dead load distribution to each girder.
c. The leveling bolts can be removed after the grout between the deck and the
girders gains enough strength to support the panel weight and the construction
loads.
d. If the design engineer opts to permanently keep the leveling bolts in place after
the grouting process is complete, the bolts should be torch cut and recessed at
least 2 in (50 mm) below the top surface of the panel. Concrete blockouts should
be provided during fabrication of the panel for that purpose. After torch cutting
the bolts, these pockets should be filled with non-shrink cementitious grout of a
concrete strength that is at least as great as that of the precast panel.
e. There should be the same number of leveling bolts over each girder. A minimum
of 2 leveling bolts per panel should be provided over each girder line.
3. Recently, galvanized stay-in-place (SIP) angle grout dams have been used on bridges in
Nebraska and Texas. The SIP angles, similar to those used for SIP forms, are welded to
the top flange or to straps across the top flange to secure it in place. They are installed at
the required pre-calculated haunch height minus a fraction of an inch to allow room for a
closed cell foam grout seal bonded to the top surface of the angle.

(3) Fabrication, Storage, Handling & Transportation

Precast Panels
1. It is recommended to reduce the number of types of panels needed for a project as much
as possible to increase fabrication speed and reduce fabrication cost.
2. Clean steel beds and steel side forms should be used to provide panels with exact
dimensions.
3. Shear and splicing blockouts can be formed of wood, steel, polystyrene foam, or any
material that can be cut to the exact dimensions with a maximum tolerance of ± 1/8 in (3

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mm), and that do not react with concrete or steel reinforcement. Also, they have to be
well secured to the bed and/or to the side forms so that they do not travel during casting
of the concrete.

Longitudinal Post-Tensioning
4. Post-tensioning is to be completed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 of the
AASHTO LRFD Specifications. Special effort shall be made to provide accurate
alignment of post-tensioning ducts from panel to panel. Grouting shall be done using
thixotropic grout material and shall be performed in accordance with the following
publication: “Guide Specification for Grouting of Post-Tensioned Structures,” Post
Tensioning Institute, First Edition, February 2001, Post-Tensioning Institute, Phoenix,
AZ.

Storage
5. If the panels are stored horizontally, they should bear on temporary supports located as
near as possible to the permanent support locations.
6. During storage, the panels should be protected from environmental effects such as rain
and snow to protect any exposed steel components from rusting.
7. Handling, storage, and shipping of slender precast deck panels requires special care to
avoid damage due to these temporary activities.

Handling
8. Handling, storage, and shipping of slender precast deck panels requires special care to
avoid damage due to these temporary activities.
9. The precast concrete producer should be responsible for design of the lifting inserts and
their location in coordination with the rigging scheme plans of the erector. The location
of the lifting inserts and their specifications, along with the rigging scheme, shall be
clearly shown on the shop drawings prepared by the precast producer. The shop
drawings shall be reviewed and approved by the design engineer.
10. It is recommended that during lifting and handling, panels should be subjected to vertical
lifting forces, only, through the use of spreader beams and strong backs, as needed. See
item #11 if spreader beams are not available.
11. The precast panel should be designed to resist the following straining actions during
handling:
a. Longitudinal and transverse flexural effects due to the weight of the panel.
b. Axial forces in the plan of the panel due to the slope of the sling.
c. Concentrated moment at the lifting points due to the eccentricity of the rigging
hooks from the panel centroid. When the sling angle is small, the component of
force parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member will generate a significant
moment. Therefore, it is recommended to have the sling angle between 60 and 70
degrees. While this effect can and should be accounted for, it is not
recommended that it would be allowed to dominate design moments. Rather,
consideration should be given to using spreader beams, two cranes, or another
mechanism to increase the sling angle.

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12. Since handling will induce dynamic loads on the panel, a 1.33 load factor should be used
in addition to the load factors associated with the considered limit state (i.e. service,
ultimate, etc).
13. In order to ensure that an embedded insert acts primarily in tension, a swivel plate can be
used. Sufficient threads must be engaged to develop the strength of the bolt. Some
manufacturers use a long bolt with a nut between the bolt head and the swivel plate.
After the bolt has “bottomed out”, the nut is turned against the swivel plate. Also, an
inverted U-shaped bar can be used. The U-shaped bar should be provided with horizontal
L-shaped ends and tied with the bottom layer of reinforcement in the panel.

Transportation
14. Handling, storage, and shipping of slender precast deck panels requires special care to
avoid damage due to these temporary activities.
15. Transportation restrictions add to the cost of precast deck panels. Size and weight
limitations vary from one state to another. The design engineer and/or the precast
concrete producer should check these limits with the local authorities in the early stages
of design to determine the most economic dimensions for the panel. The following
points provide some guidelines of these restrictions:
a. The common payload for standard trailers without special permits is 20 tons (178
kN) with width restricted to 8 ft (2.44 m).
b. Maximum width with permit varies among states from 10 to 14 ft (3.05 to 4.27
m).
c. Some states allow lengths over 70 ft (21.34 m) with only a simple permit, while
others require any load over 55 ft (15.24 m) to have a special permit, in addition
to front and rear escorts. Also, travel may be limited to certain times of the day.
d. In some states, weights of up to 100 tons (890 kN) are allowed with permit, while
in other states there are very severe restrictions on loads over 25 tons (222 kN).
16. Panels in the range of 8 to 10 ft (2.44 to 3.05 m) wide can be shipped horizontally on
flatbed trailers. Wider panels can be shipped vertically on flatbed or low-boy trailers
using supporting frames.
17. If more than one panel is shipped horizontally, 4x4 in (100x100 mm) temporary support
lumber must be provided between individual panels. Also, the temporary supports have
to be lined up vertically.
18. The locations of the temporary supports have to be carefully studied to avoid over
stressing and/or excessively deflecting the panels. The design engineer should be aware
that long flatbed and low-boy trailers deform during hauling. Support points between the
panel and the flatbed must ensure a statically determinate section, by using spreader
beams or strong backs.
19. Since transportation produces vibration in the panels, a 1.33 dynamic load factor has to
be added to the weight of the panel in addition to the appropriate load factors applied
with the limit state that is used to check the stresses.

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(4) Installation & Grinding

Installation
1. Backer rods, polystyrene strips, cementitious strips, or light gage angles can be used as
grout dams.
2. The grout dams shall be well secured to the top surface of the supporting girders to
prevent leakage during grouting.
3. Camber of the supporting girders has to be taken into consideration during installation of
the grout dam. At all points along the length of the dam, a tight contact between the dam
and the bottom surface of the precast panel shall be provided, so as to avoid leakage
during grouting.
4. If longitudinal PT is provided in the system, grouting of the panel-to-panel transverse
connections shall be completed and the grout shall reach the design strength before
longitudinal PT commences.
5. If longitudinal PT is used, the construction steps have to follow the following sequence:
a. Install the panels on temporary shims.
b. Adjust the panel elevation using leveling bolts.
c. Carefully splice the post-tensioning ducts.
d. Inspect the PT ducts and make sure that they are not blocked.
e. Fill the panel-to-panel transverse joints with grout and let the grout cure.
f. Re-inspect the PT ducts to make sure that they are not blocked and are free of
water.
g. Insert the post-tensioning tendons and tension them.
h. Fill the panel-to-girder shear pockets with grout and let the grout cure.
i. Use cast-in-place concrete at the closure pours and let the concrete cure.

Grinding of the Top Surface of the Panels

6. Diamond mounted equipment on a self-propelled machine, which is designed for
grinding and texturing pavement, should be used.
7. Equipment that causes ravel, aggregate fracture, spalls or disturbance to the transverse or
longitudinal panel-to-panel joints should not be used.
8. The top surface of the deck should be carefully cleaned from residue and excess water.
9. Grinding should be performed in lines that are perpendicular to the pavement centerline.
10. The resultant surface should be a parallel corduroy-type texture consisting of grooves
with a depth of 1/16 to 1/8 in (1.5 to 3 mm).
11. The drainage cross slope should be maintained with no depressions or misalignment of
slope greater than 1/4 in (6 mm) in 10 ft (3.05 m) when tested with a 10 ft (3.05 m)
straight edge.

(5) Deck Removal for Deck Replacement Projects

1. Equipment capable of removing the existing deck without damaging the superstructure
should be used.

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2. If the old deck is made composite with the superstructure, special care should be taken to
avoid damaging the shear connectors as well as the top surface of the supporting girders.
3. Remove the shear connectors to the limit that is necessary to avoid interference between
the shear connectors and the deck panels. In some cases, total removal of the existing
shear connector system will be required. The decision of partial or total removal of the
shear connectors should be made by the design engineer after careful investigation of the
existing system and its degree of interaction with the precast panel system. In some
cases, the shear connectors are rusty or damaged to a degree that mandates their total
removal.
4. After deck removal is complete, the top surface of the girders must be thoroughly cleaned
from any foreign material such as paint, scale, slag, rust, moisture, grease or concrete
debris.
5. For steel girders, the unwanted shear studs should be removed by torch cutting them
close to their base. Parts of the studs, remaining after torch cutting shall be removed by
grinding. Care must be taken when removing studs to prevent residual stresses.
6. For concrete girders, the shear connectors that are in conflict with the new deck system
shall be torch cut as close to the top surface of the girder as possible. Additional post-
installed anchors shall be placed directly over the centerline of the girder in accordance
with manufacturers recommendations. The top surface of the girder shall be cleaned to
remove all remains of the old deck by means of sand or water-jet blasting and thorough
cleaning.
7. The contractor should provide the following information to the design engineer for
approval:
a. Proposed tools and methods of deck removal.
b. Proposed tools and methods of stud removal, if needed.
c. Proposed tools and methods for preparation of the top surface of the supporting
girders.
d. Proposed tools and methods for re-attachment of the shear connectors.

CONCLUSION

This paper attempts to increase the knowledge of, and promote the use of, the full-depth
precast-concrete bridge deck panel system. Through the application of proposed guidelines,
the design engineer can acquire the information that he or she needs to implement this
system. The guidelines contain valuable information not only for design engineers but also
for contractors about the full-depth precast-concrete bridge deck panel system. They are
written in order to make it easier for design engineers and contractors to design, detail and
construct bridges with this system.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The research activities reported in this paper have been performed under the National
Cooperative Highway Research Program projects, NCHRP 12-65 “Full-depth, precast

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concrete bridge deck panel systems.” Special thanks are extended to David Beal of the
Transportation Research Board (TRB) for his sincere and continuous support to the members
of the research team. Many thanks are due to all individuals who responded to the survey
conducted under this project and those who supplemented the research team with guidelines
and specifications of bridges built recently with full depth precast concrete deck panels.
Many thanks are also due the reviewers who helped the authors to put the paper in its best
shape.

REFERENCES

1. Biswas, M., “Precast Bridge Deck Design Systems.” Special Report, PCI Journal, V. 21,
No. 2, March-April 1986, pp. 40-94.
2. Miller, R.M., “Guidelines And Specifications For Design Of Full-Depth Precast-Concrete
Bridge Deck Panel Systems,” A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of The School of
Engineering and Applied Science of The George Washington University in partial
satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, May 2007, 158 pgs,
Supervisor: Dr. S.S.Badie.
3. AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials, Washington, D.C., 4th Edition (2008).
4. Badie, S.S., and Tadros, M.K., “Full-Depth, Precast-Concrete Bridge Deck Panel Systems,”
National Cooperative Highway Research Program, NCHRP Report 584, Transportation
Research Board, Washington, D.C., (2008).
5. AASHTO Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges, American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, D.C., 17th Edition (2005).

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