Large load-bearing reserves for point loads on CPC panels

CPC (carbon prestressed concrete) panels are reinforced and prestressed with carbon fibre strands. Thanks to the high strength of the carbon reinforcement, the prestressing and its corrosion resistance, structural components in CPC design can be made significantly slimmer and lighter with the same bending load capacity. This significantly reduces the weight and material consumption compared to conventional solutions. The load-bearing behaviour of CPC panels is analogous to prestressed reinforced concrete. The design is carried out based on the technical approval Z-71.3-42 of the DIBt (Deutschen Instituts fur Bautechnik). Especially in the case of bridge decks the point load (maintenance vehicle) is often decisive for the static verification. In various tests at the Graz University of Technology, as well as at the ZHAW (Zurcher Hochschule fur Angewandte Wissenschaften), it could be shown that the point loads can be transferred much better than calculated according to the approval. The effective width plays a decisive role in this matter.