Effective slab width in composite decks: new formulas for different loading conditions

This paper proposes new effective widths for the analysis of twin-girder and single-box girder steel-concrete composite bridge decks. Thanks to an analytical model proposed by the same authors, a broad parametrical analysis is performed showing the dependency of the effective width on the type of loading in addition to the slab width-to-length ratio. The method proposed catches the effects of a single load layout, as well as the maximum effects obtained by considering the envelopes of bending moments, support settlements and shrinkage effects. Various comparisons between the slab stresses of a realistic continuous twin-girder composite bridge deck calculated by means of the method proposed, the EC4-2 method, and a refined shell finite element model, are shown demonstrating the simplicity and effectiveness of the method