National Concrete Pavement Technology Center

Project description

The shear friction design concept is applicable in conditions where direct shear must be transferred across a structural concrete plane or interface, such as an existing crack or an interface between dissimilar materials or concretes cast at different times (i.e., cold joint). Shear friction provisions are commonly used in the design of reinforced concrete and precast-prestressed concrete bridge elements and connections including corbels, dapped double tees, beam bearings, and diaphragms. These types of connections are critical because there is little or no redundancy, which makes them a critical part of the structure. This project will examine the applicability of current shear friction design approaches to concrete-to-concrete interfaces with high strength concrete and/or high strength steel, by means of assembling and evaluating a comprehensive database of test results collected from the literature, and to identify potential needs for revision to the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications.