Accelerated Bridge Construction, also known as ABC, is a methodology that seeks to improve project development of bridges by reducing the overall project schedule and the impact on the traveling public by implementing innovative technologies and strategies in any phase of project development. However, ABC may incur additional direct costs for the project and some risks are associated because of the accelerated constraints implied in this methodology. On the positive side, the opportunity costs and reductions of traffic disruptions costs may overcome the additional costs associated with ABC. Decision-making methodologies for assessment of ABC as an alternative to traditional construction are of great interest for project developers. The topics of research about ABC are diverse but focus mainly on the means and methods, technical aspects, applications, innovations, and decision-making of ABC. Decision-making is of great concern for project developers, especially government organizations, to sustain project goals of serviceability and to validate the additional expenditures in a project. In addition, project developers improve their decisions and project outcomes by reviewing success and failure cases for completed projects in the past. This study seeks to improve the decision-making processes in ABC by finding a more direct correlation of projects to compare by means of a categorization of these ABC projects. Smaller groups in this categorization will help narrow the scope of the characteristics of the projects to consider and to find more relevant lessons learned from the smaller groups of the categorization. To develop the categorization in this study, the data source used is the completed ABC projects database from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The statistical categorization methodology for this study is the Agglomerate Hierarchy Clustering which developed a determined number of cluster based on the closeness among data parameters with "n" number of dimensions of analysis. The number of dimensions for the analysis in this study was established as 13 parameters collected from the database and these were considered critical decision-making parameters and consequential parameters to reflect project decisions and consequences of those decisions. The results of this study rendered 3 categories, and into these categories, 5 sub-categories were distributed according to the same analysis developed. The sub-categories show similarities between the projects according to the parameters established, so the sub-categories help narrow the scope of projects for project developers. As a complement to the categorization, a project matching tool for external projects was also developed to help decision-makers to test their projects according to the analysis in this study and also help developers narrow their review of cases in search for lessons learned. Uses of this study include the prediction of information of parameters according to the variables and ranges in this categorization, and the narrowing of study cases to review. Stakeholders interested can be government organizations seeking to establish the viability of an ABC project, or to improve their project outcomes at any stage of development. Other stakeholders can be designers and contractors that also need to improve their projects at any stage of development. / Master of Science / Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) reduces construction time and diminishes traffic disruption by applying strategies and innovations to the way bridges are designed and constructed. However, it implies additional initial costs that need to be justified. Project developers need to evaluate their projects to make decisions to assure the best execution and outcomes. The review of lessons learned from previous bridge projects has been one of the sources that developers have found to find strategies and tips to implement best practices or to avoid mistakes during planning and construction of new bridge projects. This study relies on the lessons learned compiled on the completed ABC project database from the federal transportation authority, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in order to help developers, narrow the scope of projects to be reviewed and find more relevant cases to compare their projects. This scope includes the development of a categorization or a structured hierarchy of completed ABC projects with the FHWA database by applying a statistical analysis and a validation procedure. The results of this study rendered a categorization with 3 categories and 5 subcategories, each with its definition of parameters, which highlight the similarities among projects in the same groups and the differences among different categories. In addition, a framework was developed to match external projects with the categorization in this study to help project developers narrow the projects to review, or even predict missing information according to the parameters in this study. These results may help decision-makers better inform their decisions and support the research in the field of study.

This thesis investigates the impact of interface surface treatment methods for use in the Virginia Inverted T-Beam bridge system. The specific system consists of precast beams with thin bottom flanges placed next to one another, with a cast-in-place slab on top. Previous research has shown that the strength of this system after cyclic loading is highly dependent upon the shear strength of the interface between the precast and cast-in-place sections, especially for the adhesion-based connection configuration. The approval of this bridge system for use in bridges with high daily traffic volumes hinges on the verification of its strength and durability for a 50-year lifespan. The shear strength of ten different surface textures was tested using push-off tests to determine which interface roughening methods would prove adequate for use in the bridge system. The strength was found to depend on both the amplitude and the geometry of the undulations on the beam-to-slab interface. Using this information, a texture was selected for a new trial of the adhesion-based connection configuration, and a test specimen was constructed. After completing cyclic loading to simulate the design life of the bridge, it was found that the system achieved a strength similar to previous monotonically loaded specimens. It was concluded that the bridge is safe for use in high daily traffic areas provided that a surface roughening with adequate shear strength is used. / Master of Science

Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) has gained substantial popularity in new bridge construction and bridge deck replacement because it offers innovative construction techniques that result in time and cost savings when compared to traditional bridge construction practice. One technology commonly implemented in ABC to effectively execute its projects is the use of prefabricated bridge components (precast/prestressed bridge components). Precast/prestressed bridge components are fabricated offsite or near the site and then connected on-site using small volume closure pour connections. Diaphragms are also commonly used to strengthen the connection between certain prefabricated components used in ABC, such as beam elements. Bridges containing closure pour connections and diaphragms can be designed using AASHTO LRFD live-load distribution factor formulas under the condition that the bridge must be sufficiently connected. However, these formulas were developed using analytical models that did not account for the effects of closure pours and diaphragms on live-load distribution. This research study investigates live-load distribution characteristics of precast/prestressed concrete bridges with closure pour connections and diaphragms. The investigation was conducted using finite element bridge models with closure pour joints that were calibrated using experimental data and different configuration of diaphragms. The concrete material used for the closure pour connections was developed as part of a larger project intended to develop high early-strength concrete mixtures that specifically reach strength in only 12 hours, a critical requirement for ABC projects.

Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) has become a popular alternative to using traditional construction techniques in new bridge construction and existing bridge deck replacement because of the reduction of time spent in field activities. A key feature of bridges built using ABC techniques is the extensive use of prefabricated components. Prefabricated components are joined in the field using small volume closure pours involving high performance materials (steel and concrete) to ensure adequate transfer of forces between components. To date, the materials developed for closure pours have been based on proprietary components, so a need has arisen for development of mixes that use generic components. The goal of this research was to create a method to develop concrete mixtures that are designed using generic constituents and that satisfy performance requirements of accelerated bridge construction closure pours in New England, primarily high early strength and long-term durability. Two concrete mixtures were developed with a primary goal of reaching high-early strength while maintaining constructability. The secondary goal of the concrete mixtures was to be durable; therefore, measures were taken during the development of the concrete mixture to generate a mixture that also had durable properties.