BUTYL RUBBER MEMBRANES

WATERPROOFING A STEEL, TIMBER OR CONCRETE DECK HAS LONG BEEN A PROBLEM IN BOTH MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING STRUCTURES AND CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ONES. MEMBRANES BUILT UP OF SEVERAL PLYS OF ASPHALTIC FABRICS OFTEN LEAK AFTER SHORT SERVICE LIFE AND THE NEED FOR A BETTER SYSTEM HAS BEEN INDICATED. RECENTLY THE INTRODUCTION OF BUTYL RUBBER AS A DECK WATERPROOFING MATERIAL HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PRODUCING AN EASILY APPLIED AND WATERPROOF DECK. THIS MATERIAL ARRIVES AT THE BRIDGE SITE ROLLED IN A CONTINUOUS SHEET TO COVER THE ENTIRE WIDTH AND LENGTH OF THE BRIDGE DECK. FOR MOST APPLICATIONS NO FIELD SPLICES ARE NECESSARY AND, ONCE ROLLED OUT ON THE DECK AND COVERED WITH A PROTECTIVE COURSE OF ASPHALT PLANT MATERIAL, IT IS READY FOR TRAFFIC. MANY BRIDGES HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED USING THIS MATERIAL AND THE SERVICE RECORDS TO DATE HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD. SHEETS OF NEOPRENE ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. A LABORATORY STUDY IS NOW UNDERWAY AT THE RESEARCH CENTER TO DEMONSTRATE THE NEED FOR A PROTECTIVE COVER ON THIS TYPE MEMBRANE. A TEST SETUP CONSISTING OF A BIN 7 IN BY 5 FT BY 15 IN DEEP HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED, INTO WHICH THE BUTYL RUBBER, THE PROTECTIVE COURSE, SLAG BALLAST AND TRACK TIES WILL BE PLACED. THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY WILL BE LOADED REPEATEDLY TO SIMULATE SERVICE CONDITIONS TO DEMONSTRATE THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS TYPE OF WATERPROOFING SYSTEM. /ARTICLE/

  • Publication Date: 1967

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  • Accession Number: 00216795
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Apr 21 1994 12:00AM