STUDIES OF THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG CRACK PATTERNS, COVER OVER REINFORCING STEEL, AND DEVELOPMENT OF SURFACE SPALLS IN BRIDGE DECKS

SURFACE SPALLING IS PROBABLY THE MOST SERIOUS BRIDGE DECK DURABILITY PROBLEM TODAY. PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS SUGGEST THAT CORROSION OF REINFORCING STEEL IN THE PRESENCE OF SALT SOLUTIONS IS BASICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS TYPE OF DETERIORATION. IN A COOPERATIVE BRIDGE DECK STUDY, AN EXAMINATION WAS MADE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPALLS, THE NATURE OF THE CRACK PATTERN, AND THE COVER OVER REINFORCING STEEL. BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THIS WORK, IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE CRACK PATTERN ON A BRIDGE DECK GREATLY INFLUENCES THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPALLS, AND THAT THE CRACK PATTERN IS, UNDER A GIVEN SET OF CONDITIONS, DETERMINED TO A GREAT EXTENT BY THE AMOUNT OF COVER OVER THE REINFORCING STEEL. WHERE CRACKS DEVELOP DIRECTLY OVER REINFORCING STEEL, SALT SOLUTIONS HAVE RELATIVELY EASY ACCESS TO THE STEEL, THEREBY ACCELERATING CORROSION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPALLS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT BY LIMITING THE COVER TO A MINIMUM OF 2 IN. AND BY UTILIZING COARSE AGGREGATES OF LOW POROSITY AND COMPRESSIBILITY AND THE LOWEST WATER-CEMENT RATIO FEASIBLE, THE AMOUNT AND SEVERITY OF CRACKING OVER STEEL WILL BE REDUCED. THE EASE WITH WHICH SALT SOLUTIONS CAN MIGRATE TO THE REINFORCING STEEL WILL ALSO BE LESSENED. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr116/116-003.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309018439
• Supplemental Notes:
  • 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:
  • Stark, David
• Conference:
  • Western Summer Meeting
  • Location: Sacremento California, United States
  • Date: 1970-8-17 to 1970-8-19
• Publication Date: 1971

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 13-21
• Monograph Title: Improving Pavement and Bridge Deck Performance
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 116
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggregates; Bridge decks; Coarse aggregates; Compressibility; Concrete; Corrosion; Cracking; Fracture mechanics; Porosity; Reinforcing steel; Salts; Spalling; Surfaces; Water cement ratio
• Uncontrolled Terms: Crack propagation; Surface cracks
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00207247
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309018439
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 29 1971 12:00AM