ABSTRACT
The raw materials of concrete, consisting of water, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, and cement, can be found in most areas of the world and can be mixed to form a variety of structural shapes. The great availability and flexibility of concrete material and reinforcing bars have made the reinforced concrete bridge a very competitive alternative. Reinforced concrete bridges may consist of precast concrete elements, which are fabricated at a production plant and then transported for erection at the job site, or cast-in-place concrete, which is formed and cast directly in its setting location. Cast-in-place concrete structures are often constructed monolithically and continuously. They usually provide a relatively low maintenance cost and better earthquake-resistance performance. Cast-in-place concrete structures, however, may not be a good choice when the project is on a fast-track construction schedule or when the available falsework opening clearance is limited. In this chapter, various structural types and design considerations for conventional cast-in-place, reinforced concrete highway bridge are discussed. Two design examples of a simply supported slab bridge and a two-span box girder bridge are also presented. All design specifications referenced in this chapter are based on 1994 AASHTO LRFD (Load and Resistance Factor
Design) Bridge Design Specifications [1].
