Short Span Steel Bridges 
Sandwich Plate System Deck
The Sandwich Plate System (SPS), from SPS Technology, is a structural composite material comprising two metal plates bonded with a polyurethane elastomer core.
Sandwich Plate System Bridge Deck. Photo credit ASCE
In a press-brake-formed steel tub girder (PBTG) bridge, SPS is a thin lightweight deck that can be bolted to the girder in the fabrication shop. Guardrails can be added there, making it a modular unit that can be quickly assembled at the job site.
The Cannelville Road Bridge in Muskingum County, Ohio was the second PBTG structure to be completed in the United States, and the first to use the SPS deck.
The Roseville Bridge, Ohio, won the National Steel Bridge Alliance Award in 2020. The 52’ 6” bridge, with a 100 year service life, was successfully installed in just 26 days. With an integrated SPS bridge deck, this two vehicle lane modular prefabricated bridge, arrived on site on two trucks. Each section was located onto the abutments in just 10 minutes. The bridge was funded by the FHWA AID program, the aim of which, was to identify a competitive alternative superstructure to address their aging bridge inventory.
*Photo Credit: SPS Technology
Download this slide deck for additional details on using SPS decks for accelerated bridge applications.
What is a bridge deck?
The decking system of a bridge can be defined as the surface upon which the traversing traffic drives. This is the surface which is used as a continuation of the driving surface on either side of the bridge.
Commonly, cast-in-place concrete is used as the method of placing a deck on a short span bridge, but due to the time of preparing formwork, it can be a very time-consuming process.
Prefabricated deck systems are some of the most commonly used applications of modular bridge technology.
Decks
Pennsylvania County Selects Hot-Dip Galvanized Steel for Urgent Bridge Project
For a recent bridge replacement, Mercer County chose a hot-dip galvanized steel bridge to ensure a durable, cost-effective solution that could be delivered quickly and withstand a corrosive environment.
Decks
FHWA Releases Orthotropic Steel Deck Guide
The guide simplifies the level of complexity to design, fabricate, and construct OSD bridges through Level 1 design.
Decks
12 Reasons to Use SPS Bridge Decks
The Sandwich Plate System is a structural composite material used for bridge decks that is up to 70% lighter than reinforced concrete.
Decks
Steel Orthotropic Decks
Orthotropic decks are composed of a steel plate that is covered by a shop-installed roadway surface.
Decks
Partial Depth Precast Concrete Deck Panels
Partial-depth concrete panels span between girders and act as stay-in-place forms for cast-in-place concrete.
Decks
Fiber Reinforced Polymer Decks
Open grid decks can be described as small-scale steel framing systems used as a bridge deck.