Study of the structural behavior of High-Performance Concrete bridge decks

Abstract

The manufacture of High-Performance Concrete (HPC) in bridge deck construction is part of an experimental framework that is also developing in the numerical domain to fill the existing gaps in understanding its behavior. However, the numerical modeling of HPC for bridge decks remains largely under-explored. It is precisely this gap that has sparked our interest in this research area, thus giving our work its innovative character.This study primarily aims to deepen the understanding of the behavior of HPC bridge decks while manufacturing an efficient and economical HPC using local materials possessing very high properties (mechanical, physical, elastic, durability, and implementation) and advanced numerical modeling. This modeling has enabled us to study the behavior of HPC bridge decks in relation to cracking through the Extended Finite Element Method (X-FEM), an innovative solution that enables the modeling of discontinuities without complicating the process. This has been confirmed by the quality of the results, which show an excellent correlation with experimental data, underscoring the accuracy of the modeling. These results also reveal that the use of HPC in bridge construction can significantly reduce degradation risks while enhancing their performance. Consequently, the adoption of HPC stands out as a beneficial strategy, not only to minimize bridge degradation but also to extend their durability.