Investigating the Structural Impact of Delamination in Precast Concrete Panel Decks

Precast concrete panel (PCP) deck systems are the primary method for bridge deck construction in Texas. While these systems are designed to act compositely with a cast-in-place (CIP) concrete topping, recent field inspections and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) evaluations have identified widespread delamination at the PCP-CIP concrete interface. This bond degradation challenges the fundamental design assumption of monolithic behavior, which may lead to issues such as compromised punching shear capacity, reduced rigidity, increased deflection, water penetration, and potentially shortened service life. But the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) currently lacks the data-driven, quantitative criteria necessary to evaluate the structural and serviceability implications of such distress. This research project addresses this critical knowledge gap by investigating how varying extents of delamination influence the bridge deck's serviceability, load-carrying capacity, fatigue resistance, and overall durability.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Active
  • Funding: $1,272,137.00
  • Contract Numbers:

    0-7280

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Texas Department of Transportation

    125 E. 11th Street
    Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
  • Managing Organizations:

    Texas Department of Transportation

    125 E. 11th Street
    Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
  • Project Managers:

    Smith, Anne

  • Performing Organizations:

    Center for Transportation Research

    3925 W. Braker Lane
    Austin, TX  United States  78759
  • Principal Investigators:

    Bayrak, Oguzhan

  • Start Date: 20260901
  • Expected Completion Date: 20290831
  • Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 02000629
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
  • Contract Numbers: 0-7280
  • Files: RIP, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: Aug 27 2026 11:21AM