State of Practice for Positive Moment Connections in Prestressed Concrete Girders Made Continuous

Precast bridges are often constructed as single span for dead load, but continuous for live load. A diaphragm connection is provided for negative moment continuity. However, the connection may also be subjected to positive moments due to time-dependent effects. Because these moments may be large enough to damage the diaphragm or even the girders, a positive moment connection is often provided. This paper reports on a study to determine the types of positive moment connections used across the country and to identify potential problems with these types of connections. A questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the state of practice for precast prestressed concrete bridges made continuous. The survey provides valuable information on this type of bridge and updates a previous survey on this subject.