Repair of Construction-Related Deterioration in Precast Deck-Panel Bridges

Precast, partial-depth deck panels have been used throughout the United States as stay-in-place forms and to provide a portion of deck strength. In Florida, fiberboard material was routinely placed along the edges of the panels to seal the overlay of concrete, rather than embed the panels in grout. This approach did not allow the concrete to flow fully underneath the panel ends and did not provide a reliable, rigid bearing. The seriousness of this seemingly minor change in practice was only fully recognized nearly two decades later, when seven punching shear failures occurred on major highways. This paper reviews eight repair methods employed by the Florida Department of Transportation to maintain 200 deck-panel structures until they could be replaced. The paper highlights the difficulties that were faced in devising repairs when the underlying cause of the damage was not understood fully. Full-depth bay replacement with cast-in-place concrete was the most effective approach but required extended lane closures. Full-depth precast panels could be installed during nighttime lane closures but cost more. The most important lesson learned was that flexible materials, such as asphalt, were best avoided to repair the bridge decks.