Hybrid truss bridge is a new form of bridge structure in which the continuous concrete web is replaced by discrete steel tubes.Such an innovative structure has been considered superior to conventional PC box girders in many aspects such as the reduction of the dead load,the high prestressing efficiency,the reduction of the labor and costs,easiness in maintenance and so on.In the structure of a hybrid truss bridge,the most critical elements are the panel points.Various panel joints have been proposed and put into use up to now.In this study,a kind of new panel joint structure,named T-PBL panel joint,which has been used in the first hybrid truss bridge in China,is described.The loading test of the panel joint structure has been carried out to clarify the stress transfer mechanism.Moreover,the 3-D finite element method has been conducted,and the mechanical characteristic has been examined.