Composite structural member with thin deck portion and method of fabricating the same

A structural apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced girders extending in a longitudinal direction;
• a composite member disposed above said girders, said composite member comprising:
• a plurality of beams extending in a transverse direction with respect to said girders;
• a plurality of beam shear connectors attached to said beams;
• and
• a molded deck portion molded around said beam shear connectors, said deck portion being disposed substantially above said beams and having a thickness in the range of 4 inches to less than 6.5 inches;
• and
• means for connecting said composite member to said girders.

A method of refurbishing a structural apparatus having an original molded deck portion disposed above and connected to a plurality of longitudinally extending girders, said method comprising the steps of:

• prefabricating a plurality of composite units, each composite unit comprising:
• a plurality of substantially parallel beams;
• a plurality of beam shear connectors attached to said beams;
• and
• a molded unit deck portion molded around said beam shear connectors, each of said unit deck portions being disposed substantially above said beams, wherein a thickness of said molded unit deck portions and a height of said beams is selected such that a section modulus of said composite units is greater than a section modulus of said original molded deck portion;
• removing the original deck portion;
• positioning said composite units on said girders such that said beams extend in a transverse direction with respect to said girders, said composite units being positioned adjacent to one another such that said unit deck portions thereof form a substantially continuous upper surface;
• and
• attaching said composite units to said girders.

A method of refurbishing a structural apparatus having an original molded deck portion disposed above and connected to a plurality of longitudinally extending girders, said method comprising the steps of:

• removing the original deck portion;
• positioning a plurality of substantially parallel beams on said girders such that said beams extend in a transverse direction with respect to said girders, said beams having a plurality of beam shear connectors attached thereto;
• molding a new deck portion around said beam shear connectors and substantially above said beams, said new deck portion and beams together having a section modulus greater than a section modulus of said original molded deck portion and having a height no greater than a height of said original molded deck portion;
• and
• attaching said new deck portion to said girders.

A structural apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of girders extending in a longitudinal direction, said girders being spaced from one another in a transverse direction with respect to said girders;
• a plurality of composite members disposed above said girders, each of said composite members comprising:
• a plurality of beams extending in said transverse direction;
• a plurality of beam shear connectors attached to said beams;
• a layer of reinforcing material;
• and
• a molded deck portion molded around said beam shear connectors and said reinforcing material, said deck portion being disposed at least partially above said beams;
• wherein, said deck portions of said composite members define a plurality of openings therein, each opening being aligned with a gap defined between a pair of adjacent beams;
• and
• means for connecting said composite members to said girders and comprising:
• a bulkhead disposed in each of said gaps and aligned with a corresponding one of said openings;
• a girder shear connector attached to each girder and extending into corresponding ones of said bulkheads and openings;
• and
• a grouting material filling said bulkheads and openings and surrounding said girder shear connectors.

A structural apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced girders extending in a longitudinal direction;
• a plurality of composite members disposed above said girders, each of said composite units comprising:
• a plurality of beams extending in a transverse direction with respect to said girders;
• a plurality of beam shear connectors attached to said beams;
• and
• a molded deck portion molded around said beam shear connectors, said deck portion being disposed at least partially above said beams and having a thickness in the range of 4 inches to less than 6.5 inches;
• wherein, said deck portions of said composite members define a plurality of openings therein, each opening being aligned with a gap defined between a pair of adjacent beams;
• and
• means for connecting said composite members to said girders and comprising:
• a bulkhead disposed in each of said gaps and aligned with a corresponding one of said openings;
• a girder shear connector attached to each girder and extending into the corresponding ones of said bulkheads and openings;
• and
• a grouting material filling said bulkheads and openings and surrounding said girder shear connectors.