Recent developments in the prefabricated bridge deck systems

Bridge deck systems developed using conventional materials like concrete and steel have low strength-to-weight ratios; take long time to install; are prone to premature deterioration due to corrosion, especially in humid environment; and have high maintenance needs. Therefore, prefabricated deck systems developed using modern materials are the need of the time. These deck systems are lightweight, easy to install, have low maintenance cost and have long life. Such deck systems have wide application, especially in movable bridges. This study summarizes the current state of knowledge on modern/lightweight bridge deck systems including aluminum, fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) and Hybrid systems. Main findings and recommendations drawn by various researchers on the basis of experimental work and computer-aided analysis are presented. Prefabricated bridge deck systems developed using these materials mostly satisfy the strength and serviceability requirements, and have potential to replace the conventional deck systems. The primary objective of this study was to support researchers, highway engineers, consultants and contractors in the field of bridge engineering to get an outline of recent researches on prefabricated bridge deck systems.