Structural behavior of spliced deck beams with UHPC joints under monotonic load

Splice beams are considered a solution for accelerated bridge construction and a method for repairing damaged beams. One of the most challenging aspects of this technique is avoiding bond failure between the spliced members. In this study, ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC) was used to splice three beam segments. Seven specimens were tested under three bending point loads. The main variables were the depth of the joint, the presence of a shear key in the joint, type of longitudinal reinforcement (steel/carbon fiber), and the addition of dowels in the joint. The results concluded that the spliced specimens exhibited similar behavior to specimens without joints, and all the tested specimens failed due to flexural failure with the intact joint. The presence of CFRP bar in the specimen improved the ultimate load of the spliced beam by about 5% compared with the control specimen. The numerical analysis was performed by ABAQUS software with three-dimensional finite element method (FEM). The model was simulated and achieved good convergence when compared with experimental results, considering the load–deflection response and failure mode.