Experimental validation of nonlinear finite element analysis of PC bridge deck beams based on the results of full-scale load tests

Full-scale load tests on prestressed concrete (PC) deck beams extracted from a dismantled bridge have been performed within the ongoing BRIDGE|50 research project. The results of this experimental activity, along with the outcomes of non-destructive tests and laboratory tests for mechanical characterization of materials, are considered in this paper for the validation of computational structural analysis models based on PC beam finite elements with distributed nonlinearity and plane-stress finite elements formulated in accordance with the Modified Compression Field Theory. The accuracy of numerical versus experimental results is evaluated under four-point bending for different shear span ratios and by taking into account the contribution of the top concrete slab on the structural response of the tested beams.