DETERIORATION OF 249 BRIDGE DECKS, WITH DISCUSSION

A STUDY OF 249 BRIDGE DECKS BUILT IN 1966 IN PENNSYLVANIA WAS INITIATED IN AN ATTEMPT TO LEARN THE EXTENT OF DETERIORATION AND TO ESTABLISH THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF FACTORS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH DETERIORATION. THREE MAJOR FORMS OF DETERIORATION WERE CONSIDERED: SPALLS AND FRACTURE PLANES; SURFACE MORTAR DETERIORATION, INCLUDING WEAR BY TRAFFIC AND THE GENERAL DISINTEGRATION OF WEAK MORTAR; AND CRACKING, INCLUDING TRANSVERSE, LONGITUDINAL, AND DIAGONAL. INFORMATION FROM BLUEPRINTS, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS, AND INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTORS WAS GATHERED CONCERNING 32 FACTORS RELATED TO DETERIORATION. FRACTURE PLANES AND SPALLS, THE MOST SERIOUS FORM OF DETERIORATION FROM A REPAIR COST STANDPOINT, WERE FOUND ON 22 PERCENT OF THE DECKS AND IN MANY DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON THE DECKS. FROM THE STANDPOINT OF SKID RESISTANCE, WEAR IS THE MOST SERIOUS FORM OF DETERIORATION. NINETY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE DECKS EXHIBITED SURFACE MORTAR DETERIORATION, WITH 97 PERCENT OF THE AFFECTED AREA ATTRIBUTED TO WEAR AND ONLY 3 PERCENT ATTRIBUTED TO DISINTEGRATION OF WEAK MORTAR. ABOUT 6.7 MILES OF CRACKS WERE ENCOUNTERED ON THE 21.5 LANE-MILES OF DECK SURFACE OBSERVED. BY NUMBER AND LENGTH, TRANSVERSE CRACKS OCCURRED MORE FREQUNETLY AND, IN ESSENTIALLY EVERY CASE, OCCURRED DIRECTLY OVER THE TRANSVERSE REINFORCING BARS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT PROVISION OF SUFFICIENT CONCRETE COVER BE MADE ON A BASIS SIMILAR TO THAT FOR SLAB THICKNESS OF HIGHWAY PAVEMENTS. ALSO, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT FLEXURAL STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS FOR BRIDGE DECK CONCRETE BE INCREASED TO 700 PSI.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1973/423/423-005.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309020956
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Committee on Performance of Concrete--Physical Aspects. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Carrier, R E
  • Cady, P D
• Discussers:
  • Chamberlin, W P
  • Amsler, D E
  • Jaqueway, J K
• Conference:
  • 51st Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1972-1-17 to 1972-1-21
• Publication Date: 1973

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 46-57
• Monograph Title: Concrete properties and performances
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 423
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Concrete; Cracking; Deterioration; Durability; Flexural strength; Performance; Spalling; Thickness; Wear
• Uncontrolled Terms: Concrete cracking
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00214237
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309020956
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 24 1978 12:00AM