Precast–Pretensioned Concrete Girder Bridges

Precast-pretensioned concrete girders, usually referred to as precast girders, are fabricated o-site (Figure 1.1), and then transported, erected, or launched into the project site. During the period of development of the United States’ Interstate highway system in the late 1950s and early 1960s, prestressed concrete became a practical solution in the design and construction of highway bridges. Most states in the United States adopted the precast-pretensioned concrete girder bridges as a preferred structure type because they facilitated o-site fabrication, leading to rapid construction techniques, and reducing on-site construction time. ese bridges have served many state departments of transportation well for almost 50 years in the United States.