Trade Journals for the Concrete Industry

To those in the industry, it is no secret that an alarming number of bridges (150,000+) in North America are “structurally deficient or obso- lete”[1] and in dire need repair or replacement. According to a 2009 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), more than 26%, or one in four, of the nation’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Ductal® ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) field-cast connections, when used with UHPC concrete precast panel systems, offers a solu- tion for the construction of extremely durable, long-lasting, sustainable bridge superstructures built for the future[2]. Due to its superior structural and durability characteristics, UHPC bridge applications have gained significant momentum in the United States over the past decade. During this time, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been instrumental with respect to the much-needed research, development and implementation of various UHPC bridge applications. Recently, these efforts (by the FHWA and collaborators*) have re- sulted in the development of an innovative UHPC waffle bridge deck precast system and a design procedure for a full-depth bridge deck sys- tem that utilizes UHPC field cast joints.