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HPC Bridge Views: High Strength Lightweight Concrete for Use in Precast Prestressed Concrete Bridge Girders in Georgia
By Paul Liles, Georgia Department of Transportation and
R. Brett Holland, Georgia Institute of Technology
The development of high strength concretes has allowed for the use of longer precast,
prestressed concrete bridge girders throughout the United States. In Georgia, the
increased lengths result in girders that often are too heavy to transport across some
existing bridges and require a super?load permit if they are to be transported at all.
The use of high strength, high performance lightweight concrete (HSLWC) can result in
longer span lengths and lighter weight girders.(1) Previous research at the Georgia
Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) showed that HSLWC bridge girders can be
constructed with 10,000 psi (69 MPa) compressive strength concrete with a very low
permeability, while achieving up to a 20% decrease in shipping weight.
