Study on Flexural and Shear Behavior of UHPC Rhombus-Strip-Shaped Joint

Abstract Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) has many advantages for bridge construction in modern society. While for ABC, the post-cast joint is always the weakest and most critical part. This paper presents a UHPC rhombus-strip-shaped (RSS) joint suitable for ABC. Several model tests were carried out to verify its resistance to flexural and shear. First, large-scale model tests are advanced to confirm its flexural properties. The results show that densified and welded joint interface rebars can significantly improve the ultimate bearing capacity and durability-based cracking stress of the RSS joint beams, and the ultimate bearing capacity can reach 90% of the complete beam. Then the shear-resistance tests were carried out. The results show that the UHPC RSS joint beam has excellent bending-shear mechanical properties and better ductility. Lastly, the ultimate flexural bearing capacity and shear-resistance capacity calculation methods were obtained.