In order to expand the life-time as well as to eliminate some drawbacks associated with the use
of traditional normal strength concrete in bridge construction, a new composite NSC/ SHCC
deck slab is proposed and investigated. The superior tensile characteristics of the Strain
Hardening Cementitious Composites (SHCC) could be engineered when a thin layer of such
material is used in the tension side of the deck slab. The effects of reinforcement ratio of the
main steel as well as the thickness of the substrate SHCC layer have been studied. Five
composite NSC/SHCC slab specimens along with two control specimens made of normal
strength and high-performance concrete were prepared and tested. The responses of all
specimens have been compared from the viewpoint of ultimate capacity, developed ductility and
cracking characteristics. The experimental results showed that the proposed NSC-SHCC deck
system was found to have enhanced performance with regard to flexural capacity and
serviceability, compared to the conventional reinforced concrete deck. The increase of the
SHCC thickness had little effect on the cracking, yielding, and ultimate loads, while a
considerable enhancement in the post-cracking behaviour was obtained with the increase of
reinforcement ratio