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BRIDGE DECK PROTECTION AND RESURFACING

AS A RESULT OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE OHIO RIVER BRIDGE AT POINT PLEASANT, WEST VIRGINIA, THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS IN COOPERATION WITH THE AASHO COMMITTEE ON BRIDGES AND STRUCTURES PREPARED A GUIDE FOR THE INSPECTION OF HIGHWAY BRIDGES. THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF DETERIORATION AND FAILURE THAT CAN BE ALLEVIATED OR PREVENTED BY TIMELY MAINTENANCE ARE DISCUSSED. THE HISTORY OF THE LOS ALAMOS CANYON BRIDGE IS USED AS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF BRIDGE INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICE. PERIODIC INSPECTIONS ARE MADE BY ZIA COMPANY OF THE LOS ALAMOS CANYON BRIDGE WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1951. A POOR JOB OF FINISHING LEFT THE SURFACE OF THE DECK IN A ROUGH CONDITION. IN 1962, AN ASPHALTIC CONCRETE OVERLAY WAS PLACED ON THE BRIDGE DECK, NOT ONLY TO LEVEL AND IMPROVE THE RIDING SURFACE, BUT TO SEAL THE SURFACE TO PREVENT CORROSION OF THE REINFORCING STEEL. SIGNS OF PITTING AND EROSION OF THE ASPHALTIC CONCRETE WERE OBSERVED IN 1967. THESE SPOTS WERE PRIMED WITH MC-O CUTBACK AND FILLED WITH A MIXTURE OF 120-150 PENETRATION GRADE ASPHALT AND SAND. AFTER BEING PATCHED, A ROUTINE YEARLY APPLICATION OF CATIONIC ASPHALT EMULSION TO THE BRIDGE DECK WAS INITIATED. PITTING AND ERODING WAS NOTICED AGAIN IN THE SPRING OF 1968. THE WINTER WAS PARTICULARLY SEVERE WITH NUMEROUS, HEAVY SNOWFALLS. THE UNPRECEDENTED WEAR SEEMED TO BE A COMBINATION OF WEATHER, BRIDGE DESIGN AND DRIVING CONDITIONS AND THE USE OF CHAINS BY MOTORISTS. TWO INTERIOR LANES WERE FOG-SEALED WITH EMULSION IN THE FALL OF 1968. THE PITTED AREAS IN THE OUTSIDE LANES WERE FILLED WITH A MIXTURE OF HOT ASPHALT, 10 PERCENT LIQUID LATEX AND FIVE PERCENT KEROSENE, AND THEN LEVELED WITH CHIP SEAL. ASPHALTIC CONCRETE HOT-MIX WAS TAMPED INTO PLACE WHERE THE SURFACING HAD RAVELLED COMPLETELY OUT. THE HEAVY USE OF DE-ICING SALT CAUSED SCALING OF THE WALKWAY SURFACE AND CURBS. CRACKING IN THE CONCRETE SIDEWALK PERMITTED THE PASSAGE OF WATER THROUGH THAT PORTION OF THE DECK. A SPRAY COAT OF LINSEED OIL AND MINERAL SPIRITS WAS USED TO SEAL THESE EXPOSED CONCRETE SURFACES. IN 1968, WHEN THE AUTUMN COATING OF LINSEED OIL WAS APPLIED TO THE SIDEWALK AND CURVES, A COATING WAS ALSO APPLIED TO ALL EXPOSED SUB-STRUCTURE CONCRETE TO PREVENT SCALING. PROTECTIVE COATINGS AND PROTECTIVE COVERINGS USED BY THE ZIA COMPANY FOR BRIDGE DECK PROTECTION AND RESURFACING ARE DISCUSSED. THE PROTECTIVE COATINGS ARE SUBDIVIDED INTO SPECIFIC MATERIALS MOST APPLICABLE FOR EACH OF THE TWO MOST COMMON TYPES OF BRIDGE DECK SURFACING.

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • pp 48-65, 8 FIG, 1 APP
  • Corporate Authors:

    Sixth Paving Conference Proc

    ,    
  • Authors:
    • Pettitt, R A
  • Publication Date: 1968

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00218552
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Mar 2 1970 12:00AM