In-plane tensile performance of a cellular FRP bridge deck acting as top chord of continuous bridge girders

The in-plane tensile performance of a pultruded FRP bridge deck system was examined with regard to the use of the deck as the compositely acting top chord of hybrid bridge main girders in negative moment regions. The deck properties determined on the system level comprise the in- plane tensile stiffness and capacity, as well as a limit of elastic behavior. Exceeding the elastic limit can produce local damage in the adhesive bond of the deck joints. The deck properties on the system level also include material properties as well as the effects of the deck geometry and the adhesive joints, and thus enable the use of established design methods for bridges with concrete decks. Experiments have shown that creep deformations in the FRP deck due to in-plane tensile loading are negligible and not determinant to design. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd.