Prestressed concrete box girder bridges exhibit complex structural behavior due to various loading scenarios. Extensive studies, both experimental and numerical, have helped advance their use in engineering. The spatial stress in prestressed concrete box girder bridges, especially during construction and service phases, has been analyzed using shell cells, which provide more accurate tensile stress data than beam cells. The deck with the numerous hat section was evaluated in the current study for its deck type properties in single span, continuous span, and end span settings in accordance with the testing guidelines in AS/NZ 2327-2017. Research has demonstrated that the initial casting temperature is important in preventing cracks at pier tops. Furthermore, prestress loss and creep significantly affect the deflection ratio of the main and side spans. Transverse prestressing, widely studied through finite element analysis, is effective in reducing top plate transverse stress and deflection. The use of advanced composite materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) has been found to enhance the structural performance of reinforced concrete box girders (RCBGs), increasing load capacity by up to 78%. Additionally, finite element (FE) simulations and ferrocement reinforcement techniques demonstrate promising improvements in bridge performance. Despite these advancements, gaps remain in addressing the complex stress states during failure, and further analytical studies are needed to optimize material use.

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1. Liu S, Zhang Y, Shi J, Yang B. Internal forces analysis of prestressed concrete box girder bridge by using structural stressing state theory. Mater. 2021;14(16):4671.
2. Eltaly BA, Shaheen YB, Tayeh B, Henish AA. Enhancing the behavior of reinforced concrete box girders under two-point loading: numerical and experimental investigations. Struct. 2023;52:386–400.
3. Li H, Li L, Du C, Ye M, Shao X, Zhou C. Experimental study on the flexural behavior of a novel nonprismatic prestressed UHPC composite box girder with corrugated steel webs. J Bridge Eng. 2023;28(7):04023045.
4. He J, Liu Y, Wang S, Xin H, Chen H, Ma C. Experimental study on structural performance of prefabricated composite box girder with corrugated webs and steel tube slab. J Bridge Eng. 2019;24(6):04019047.
5. Zhu M, Yan Z, Chen L, Lu Z, Chen YF. Experimental study on composite mechanical properties of a double-deck prestressed concrete box girder. Adv Struct Eng. 2019;22(12):2545–2556.
6. Spadea S, Rossini M, Nanni A. Design analysis and experimental behavior of precast concrete double-tee girders prestressed with carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer strands. PCI J. 2018;63(1):72–84.
7. Grace NF, Jensen EA, Noamesi DK. Flexural performance of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer prestressed concrete side-by-side box beam bridge. J Compos Construct. 2011;15(5):663–671.
8. Li Y, Yu Z, Liu Y. Experimental and numerical study of the ultimate flexural capacity of a full-size damaged prestressed concrete box girder strengthened with bonded steel plates. Mater. 2023;16(6):2476.
9. Hou P, Yang C, Yang J, Pan Y. Study on the strengthening of prestressed concrete box-girder bridges using concrete-filled steel tube truss. J Bridge Eng. 2024;29(11):05024005.

Prestressed concrete box girder bridges exhibit complex structural behavior due to various loading scenarios. Extensive studies, both experimental and numerical, have helped advance their use in engineering. The spatial stress in prestressed concrete box girder bridges, especially during construction and service phases, has been analyzed using shell cells, which provide more accurate tensile stress data than beam cells. The deck with the numerous hat section was evaluated in the current study for its deck type properties in single span, continuous span, and end span settings in accordance with the testing guidelines in AS/NZ 2327-2017. Research has demonstrated that the initial casting temperature is important in preventing cracks at pier tops. Furthermore, prestress loss and creep significantly affect the deflection ratio of the main and side spans. Transverse prestressing, widely studied through finite element analysis, is effective in reducing top plate transverse stress and deflection. The use of advanced composite materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) has been found to enhance the structural performance of reinforced concrete box girders (RCBGs), increasing load capacity by up to 78%. Additionally, finite element (FE) simulations and ferrocement reinforcement techniques demonstrate promising improvements in bridge performance. Despite these advancements, gaps remain in addressing the complex stress states during failure, and further analytical studies are needed to optimize material use.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Liu S, Zhang Y, Shi J, Yang B. Internal forces analysis of prestressed concrete box girder bridge by using structural stressing state theory. Mater. 2021;14(16):4671.
2. Eltaly BA, Shaheen YB, Tayeh B, Henish AA. Enhancing the behavior of reinforced concrete box girders under two-point loading: numerical and experimental investigations. Struct. 2023;52:386–400.
3. Li H, Li L, Du C, Ye M, Shao X, Zhou C. Experimental study on the flexural behavior of a novel nonprismatic prestressed UHPC composite box girder with corrugated steel webs. J Bridge Eng. 2023;28(7):04023045.
4. He J, Liu Y, Wang S, Xin H, Chen H, Ma C. Experimental study on structural performance of prefabricated composite box girder with corrugated webs and steel tube slab. J Bridge Eng. 2019;24(6):04019047.
5. Zhu M, Yan Z, Chen L, Lu Z, Chen YF. Experimental study on composite mechanical properties of a double-deck prestressed concrete box girder. Adv Struct Eng. 2019;22(12):2545–2556.
6. Spadea S, Rossini M, Nanni A. Design analysis and experimental behavior of precast concrete double-tee girders prestressed with carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer strands. PCI J. 2018;63(1):72–84.
7. Grace NF, Jensen EA, Noamesi DK. Flexural performance of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer prestressed concrete side-by-side box beam bridge. J Compos Construct. 2011;15(5):663–671.
8. Li Y, Yu Z, Liu Y. Experimental and numerical study of the ultimate flexural capacity of a full-size damaged prestressed concrete box girder strengthened with bonded steel plates. Mater. 2023;16(6):2476.
9. Hou P, Yang C, Yang J, Pan Y. Study on the strengthening of prestressed concrete box-girder bridges using concrete-filled steel tube truss. J Bridge Eng. 2024;29(11):05024005.