ULTRA-HIGH PERFORMANCE CONCRETE COMPOSITE DECKS FOR LONG-SPAN COASTAL BRIDGES

Many long-span coastal bridges use steel deck systems that are vulnerable to corrosion, fatigue cracking at welds, and overlay deterioration under harsh marine conditions, often failing well before their intended design life. This project develops a replacement deck system that pairs thin ultra-high performance concrete slabs with embedded structural steel ribs to achieve lower weight, equivalent or better load capacity, and significantly improved durability. The research moves through conceptual modeling, prototype fabrication and testing, connection optimization, and design guideline development, with a real bridge case study conducted in partnership with a national bridge design firm.