REVIEW OF A THREE-YEAR BRIDGE DECK STUDY IN PENNSYLVANIA

THE RESULTS OF THE INITIAL THREE YEARS OF CONTINUING RESEARCH PROJECT ON THE DURABILITY OF CONCRETE BRIDGE DECKS IN PENNSYLVANIA ARE PRESENTED. THE STUDY INVOLVED FIELD SURVEYS OF 38 BRIDGE DECKS COMPRISING 2,782 TEN-FT LONG SURVEY UNITS. A TOTAL OF 154 CORES WERE TAKEN FROM 34 OF THE DECKS. THE CORES WERE SUBJECTED TO DETAILED LABORATORY ANALYSES INCLUDING DETERMINATION OF AIR VOID PARAMETERS BY LINEAR TRAVERSE TECHNIQUES, WATER CEMENT (W/C) RATIO DETERMINATIONS, AND PETROGRAPHIC EXAMINATION. SEVEN BRIDGE DECKS WERE OBSERVED DURING CONSTRUCTION TO EXAMINE AND EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF CONSTRUCTION PRATICES ON DURABILITY. BRIDGE DECKS WERE RESURVEYED ANNUALLY TO ESTABLISH RATES. THE MAJOR TYPES OF DETERIORATION FOUND WERE TRANSVERSE CRACKING, FRACTURE PLANES, POTHOLES, AND SURFACE MORTAR DETERIORATION. THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF DETERIORATION WERE INDICATED TO BE MATERIALS (AGGREGATES) AND WORKMANSHIP (OVERFINISHING, POOR QUALITY CONTROL WITH RESPECT TO ENTRAINED AIR AND W/C, AND IMPROPER PLACEMENT OF REINFORCEMENT). RECOMMENDATIONS TO ALLEVIATE THE CAUSES OF POOR PERFORMANCE AND SUGGESTED AREAS OF NEEDED RESEARCH ARE INCLUDED. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1968/226/226-002.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper sponsored by Committee on Effect of Ice Control and presented at the 47th Annual Meeting. 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:
  • Larson, Thomas D
  • Cady, Philip D
  • Price, John T
• Publication Date: 1968

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 11-25
• Monograph Title: Concrete Admixtures Aggregates and Durability
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 226
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air voids; Bridge decks; Concrete; Construction management; Core samples; Data collection; Deterioration; Durability; Field studies; Fracture mechanics; Geological surveying; Laboratory tests; Location; Material reinforcement; Materials; Performance; Petrography; Quality control; Surveys; Transverse cracking; Water cement ratio
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fracture
• Geographic Terms: Pennsylvania
• Old TRIS Terms: Air voids content; Cores; Petrographic investigations; Placement
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00213216
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 12 1994 12:00AM