Experimental and numerical analysis of corrugated steel plates-silicone rubber composite structures for bridge deck continuity

Traditional bridge expansion joints suffer from durability issues, high maintenance demands, and complex construction. To address these limitations, this study proposes a novel continuous bridge deck structure incorporating corrugated steel plates and silicone rubber. The design eliminates conventional expansion devices by embedding liquid rubber filled corrugated steel plate within the joint’s anchorage zone. The mechanical performance of the hybrid system is systematically evaluated through compression tests, compression-shear tests, and nonlinear finite element analysis. Experimental results reveal two dominant failure modes: under vertical loading, rupture of the rubber layer and anchorage-zone concrete accompanied by buckling of the internal corrugated steel plates; under combined compression-shear loading, shear-induced rubber cracking. Parametric studies further demonstrate that corrugated steel plates with a minimum thickness of 10 mm and spacing ≤ 80 mm ensure sufficient load-bearing capacity (≥700 kN) under vehicular loads. The findings provide critical design guidelines for corrugated steel plate-rubber hybrid structures in bridge continuity applications, emphasizing the interplay between material behavior and structural efficiency. • The composite structure of corrugated steel plate and silicone rubber is proposed to replace the bridge expansion joint. • Through experiments and finite element analysis, the specific failure mechanism of the component was revealed. • Failure mode: rubber cracking and concrete crushing under vertical load, rubber cracking under compression and shear. • The thickness of corrugated steel plate should be ≥ 10 mm and the spacing should be ≤ 80 mm to meet the load requirements. • It provides a material-structure synergistic effect design framework for continuous bridge deck structure.