Experimental Testing of Concrete Bridge-Deck Slabs Reinforced with Basalt-FRP Reinforcing Bars under Concentrated Loads

Advances in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) technology have led to the introduction of new basalt-fiber-reinforced-polymer (BFRP) bars. This paper presents a research project investigating the behavior of edge-restrained concrete bridge-deck slabs reinforced with BFRP bars. The tests included six full-scale edge-restrained concrete deck slabs simulating a slab-on-girder bridge deck commonly used in North America and one full-scale unrestrained concrete deck slab. The deck slabs measured 3,000 mm long × 2,500 mm wide × 200 mm thick. The test parameters investigated were (1) reinforcement type (BFRP and steel); (2) BFRP bar size (12 and 16 mm); (3) reinforcement ratio in each direction (0.4–1.2%); and (4) edge-restraining [restrained or unrestrained (free)].The slabs were tested up to failure over a center-to-center span of 2,000 mm under a single concentrated load acting on the center of each slab over a contact area of 600 × 250 mm to simulate the footprint of a sustained truck wheel load (87.5-kN CL-625 truck) as specified in Canadian standards. The observed mode of failure for the edge-restrained deck slabs was punching-shear, with carrying capacities exceeding the design factored load specified by Canadian standards.