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Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 75 – 79

TRANSCOM 2017: International scientific conference on sustainable, modern and safe transport

Development of precast concrete bridges during the last 50 years in

Slovakia
Petra %XMĖiNRYia,*, MiroVODY6WULHãNDa
a
University of Žilina, Department of Structures and Bridges, Univerzitná 8215/1, 01026 Žilina, Slovakia

Abstract

The precast prestressed bridges represent the major part of all highways bridges that were built last decade in Slovakia. This is
mainly due to the technical and economic advantages of this type of structures. Despite the well know advantages of precast bridges,
there exists a demand for innovative solutions that would improve the competitiveness of this type of structures.
The paper focuses on the recent changes during the last years in design and fabrication process and describes some failures of the
first precast prestressed girders in Slovakia.

©‹2017
2017TheTheAuthors. Published
Authors. by by
Published Elsevier Ltd.Ltd.
Elsevier This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of TRANSCOM 2017: International scientific conference on
Peer-review
sustainable,under responsibility
modern of the scientific committee of TRANSCOM 2017: International scientific conference on sustainable,
and safe transport.
modern and safe transport
Keywords: precast prestressed girder; failure condition; high performance concrete

1. Introduction

The last 50 years have been characterized by development of precast prestressed girders in Slovakia. Many types
of precast prestressed girders were involved when the appropriate shape was found. The knowledge of the material

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +421-41-513-5674; fax: +421-41-513-5690.

E-mail address: petra.bujnakova@fstav.uniza.sk

1877-7058 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of TRANSCOM 2017: International scientific conference on sustainable, modern and safe transport
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2017.06.013
76 Petra Bujňáková and Miroslav Strieška / Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 75 – 79

properties have been changed during this time period. The design standard Eurocodes ³EC2´ was implemented and
replaced the national standard codes. Many advantages of precast concrete bridges such as wider girder spacing, longer
span length, shallower section and the shorter construction time moves these bridges into position when they are often
being applied.

2. Precast prestressed girders in Slovakia

In the 1950s, the precast reinforcement bridge girders have been initiated to use in Czechoslovakia. The first
prestressed girders Ä9ORããiN³KDYH been produced since 1957 [5]. The LQYHUWHG³8´JLUGHUZDVpost-tensioned with a
smooth wires P I 4.5 mm and additionally prestressed in the transverse direction to create the orthotropic bridge deck.
The standardisation project in the 1960s developed the standard precast girders KA-61 (a box girder) and I-62 (I-
girder). This girders were post-tensioned without transverse tensioning. The transverse members have been replaced
by sideways reinforcing steel in the upper and bottom flange and concreted. The concrete grade B500 (concrete class
C35/45, [1]) was commonly used in the precast prestressed girders. The properties of first prestressed girders are
shown in Table 1.

Table 1. The properties of first prestressed girders [5].

Type of girder Height (m) Length (m) Width (m) Reinforcing steel Prestressing wires
9ORããiN 0.24 ± 0.5 3.7 ± 10.15 0.5 ± 1.0 10400B 5-17 I P4.5 mm
KA - 61 0.45 ± 1.05 9 ± 21.0 0.94 10400B 6-12I P4.5 mm
I - 62 1 ± 1.25 21 ± 30 1.15 10400B 24I P 4.5 mm

The rapid development of prestressing technology increased in the early 1980s. The length of girder increased to
30 m. The maximum length of post- tensioned girders made from three members is 42.0 m. The post ± tensioned
girders tend to be used at greater spacing around 1.5 m. The typical FURVVVHFWLRQ³7´DQG³,´VKDSHZHUHDGRSWHGVHH
Tab. 2. The I ± girders were preferred for maximizing flexural strength and minimizing weight.

Table 2. The properties of post- tensioned girders.

Type of girder Concrete class Maximum girder spacing (m) Maximum length (m)
I - 73 C 35/45 1.58 30
I - 90 C 35/45 1.50 30
I - 96 C 35/45 1.50 42/ 3 pieces
T 93 C 45/55 2.4 30

The pretensioned precast bridge girders were designed and manufactured in 1990s. These girders were preferred
for fabrication process that provides many benefits compared to post-tensioned system. The maximum length of
pretensioned girders was 30.0 m. The majority of Slovak highway bridges ZHUHPDGHRIVWDQGDUGL]HG³,´ ³7´ and
LQYHUWHG³7´VKDSHGFURVVVHFWLRQ girders with cast-in place concrete deck slab. Once the deck was concreted, the
structural section becomes composite without great deflection. The simply supported precast girder has been the most
common structural system used for the construction of precast bridges.
Most multi-span bridges were constructed using expansion joints that provide a simply supported condition for a
span. Some multi-span bridges were constructed with simple-VSDQ³,´JLUGHUVThe negative continuity moment over
the intermediate support was accomplished by the reinforcement placing into the cast-in-place deck. The continuous
bridges have improved the maintenance costs, appearance and riding qualities.
Figure 1 shows representative cross section of pretensioned girders and Table 3 lists typical properties of
pretensioned bridge girders.
 Petra Bujňáková and Miroslav Strieška / Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 75 – 79 77

Table 3. The properties of pretensioned girders.

Type of girder Height (m) Concrete class Girder spacing (m) Length (m) Reinforcing steel Prestressing steel
DPS VP - 97 0.6 ± 0.95 C 45/55 1.05 12 - 21 10505 (R) ILs 15.5/1800
IST - 97 0.7 ± 1.4 C 45/55 1.25 9 - 30 10425 (V) ILs 15.5/1800
IST - 97atyp. 0.7 ± 1.4 C 45/55 1.27 9 - 30 10425 (V) ILs 15.5/1800
TT - 97 DZ 0.76 ± 0.93 C 45/55 1.35 12- 18 10505 (R) ILs 12.5/1800
DZ - 97 1.0 ± 1.4 C 45/55 1.00 21 - 30 10505 (R) ILs 15.5/1800
DPS VP - I 04 0.65 ± 1.4 C 45/55 1.50 12 - 30 10505 (R) ILs 15.5/1860
IPM - T 0.6 ± 1.4 C 50/60 1.0 12 - 30 10505 (R) ILs 15.5/1800
IPM - I 0.65 ± 1.4 C 50/60 1.15 ± 1.50 12 - 30 10505 (R) ILs 15.5/1800

a) DPS ± VP 97 b) IST 97 c) IST 97atyp d) DZ 97 e) DPS VP I - 04

f) IPM -T g) IPM - I h) TT 97 DZ
Fig. 1. Types of pretensioned girders.

3. The current precast prestressed girder design

After the adoption process of the Eurocodes in 2010, the designers and constructors are becoming interested in use
of a new type of concrete, high performance concrete (HPC). The application of HPC in Slovakia was up to this years
restricted by the lack of theoretical and experimental knowledge about this material. Also the previous Slovak standard
(STN) did not cover the design of bridges built with this type of concrete. The 100 years of service life and new load-
models were adopted in bridge design [1], [2], [3].
The application of HPC in prestressed girders provides a feasible technical solution and more economical benefits.
The HPC allows for longer span, shallower sections and a reduction of the number of prestressed girders used for
bridges. The use of HPC in bridge applications has been considered an innovative concept. The structural properties
of the prestressed HPC girder have been validated by experimental load test and FE simulations during research project
[4]. The sufficient load carrying capacity of the tested HPC prestressed girder was approved. The numerical model
with material model SBETA can be useful for modelling of behavior of prestressed bridge girders made of different
78 Petra Bujňáková and Miroslav Strieška / Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 75 – 79

type of concrete. It is possible to simulate a real load testing without significant problems and reduced the number of
necessary experimental testing by innovation of new type of commercial bridge girders.
The research program indicates that it is possible to produce precast girder of HPC with local resources and without
any excessive investment into production process. The bridge girder producer Doprastav brings the first HPC
prestressed girders in 6ORYDNLD7KHSUHWHQVLRQHGJLUGHUVÄ'3693,³DQGÄ'36937DQGWKHSRVW-tensioned
JLUGHUVÄ'36'3,³)LJ7KH girders are made from the concrete class C 55/67. The girders are prestressed with
low relaxation strands I Ls 15.5/1800 MPa. The shear resistance is provided by steel reinforcing B500B. The height
of girder (1.1 m, 1.25 m and 1.4m) depends on girder length (24 m, 27 m and 30 m). The cast-in place composite deck
is concreted from concrete class C 35/45. The thickness of concrete deck is a minimum 200 mm. The girder spacing
is achieved to 1.56 m by using DPS VP I/10 girders [10]. Nowadays, the I - girder is most commonly used in precast
concrete industry (WKH ORQJHVW EULGJH JLUGHU ³0'3 ´ GHVLJQHG ZLWK FRPELQHG SUHVWUHVVLQJ [9] and prestressed
girders VPH-PTMN 2010, VPH-PTMN 2016 ± I, IVP 2015, IDP 2015).

800 1390 / 1460 800

47

70
310 295 180 295 310
81

310 180 310

77
345 345 Pretensioned
strands
h

h
285 180 285 285 180 285
107

141107
141

750 750
750

Fig. 2. Pretensioned girders (a) DPS VP I/10 girder (b) DPS VP T/11 girder (c) The schema of prestressing strands.

4. The technical condition of first precast prestressed girders

The Department of Structures and Bridges is continuously cooperating with construction companies in the
development of new solutions for bridge constructions and also has been working with Slovak Road Administration
on diagnostic surveys on several existing precast prestressed bridges [6], [7], [8].
Nowadays, many of the first prestressed concrete bridges are in failure condition after 50 to 60 years of service.
The technical condition of these bridges were classified according grades [11]: IV- satisfactory condition, V ± bad
condition and VI ± very bad condition. All the investigated bridges have required a repair or strengthening. The
prestressed concrete bridge no. 59-090 on important route connecting Slovakia to Poland was classified on grade VII
± collapse, after visual inspection. The very dangerous structural defects were detected and the bridge was accelerated
closed for traffic. The superstructure was assumed with continuous deck without the plug joint to avoid leaking water.
The new superstructure was rebuild from HPC pretensioned girders DPS VP I/10, 27 m long, Fig. 2a.

The most common failures observed on precast bridges are following:

x Removed concrete cover, corroded tendons with some ruptured wires Fig. 3b, corroded anchors
x Water leakage through the carriageway and insulation
x Overloading of construction
x Hollow space or voids within concrete caused during casting of the girder
x Absence of shear reinforcement in prestressed girders, minimal reinforcement ratio was not fulfilled, Fig. 3a
x Absence of bonded post-tensioned prestressing, inadequate grouting of tendons
x Concrete quality is generally good
x Incorrect position of girders on the bearings
x Low degree of maintenance quality
 Petra Bujňáková and Miroslav Strieška / Procedia Engineering 192 (2017) 75 – 79 79

Fig. 3. (a) The absent reinforcement in prestressed girder; (b) The partial rupture of wires of the prestressing tendon.

5. Conclusions

The first prestressed precast girders for short and medium span bridges are generally in bad technical conditions
after 50 - 60 years of service. The design load capacity of these structures is already lower than current requirements.
It has been considered to lack of sufficient knowledge of material behavior, design process, construction technology
and insufficient maintenance during service life [6], [7], [8].
The contemporary prestressed girders are designed according to the Eurocode. The innovation process has adopted
the maximum concrete class C 55/67 for prestressed bridge girders. The analysis has shown that the static behaviour
of HPC prestressed girder corresponded to the requirements of design assumptions [4]. The prestressing systems
provides high quality and reliability. The use of pretensioned girders in highway bridge system has been increasing
rapidly in recent years. These girders had replaced the steel and composite steel beams in Slovak highway bridges.
The pretensioned precast girders employ high performance concrete for durability, strength, environmental impact
and shorter construction time. The I - cross section is the most widely used in bridge construction. The 1.4 m deep
pretensioned girder is the conventional alternative for the span of 30.0 m. The higher depth of girder or use of post-
tensioning method allows for longer span lengths. The girder spacing has increased to 1.56 m.
The ordinary visual inspection and targeted maintenance of former and new- built precast prestressed bridges could
make prediction about service life and solves future time for considerable financial costs for rehabilitation and
reconstruction.

Acknowledgements

The research is supported by the Slovak Grant Agency under Research Projects No. 1/0336/15 and 1/0566/15.

References

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