EFFECT OF BRIDGE DECK INSULATION ON ICING CONDITIONS

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF URETHANE FOAM SPRAYED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF BRIDGE DECKS AS INSULATION TO REDUCE ICING WAS EVALUATED. A TRI-LEVEL INTERCHANGE IN ROCHESTER, N. Y., WAS SELECTED FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL INSTALLATION. SURFACE TEMPERATURES OF THE UPPER AND LOWER DECKS AND THE APPROACH PAVEMENTS WERE MEASURED CONTINUOUSLY BEFORE AND AFTER APPLICATION OF THE URETHANE FOAM. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION INCLUDED PRECIPITATION RECORDS, VISUAL OBSERVATIONS OF ICING , TRAFFIC STUDIES, AND AN EXAMINATION OF A PREVIOUSLY INSULATED BRIDGE. THE UNINSULATED DECKS WERE ONLY SLIGHTLY MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO ICING THAN THE APPROACHES. THE TEMPERATURE-STABILIZING EFFECT OF THE URETHANE INCREASED THE POTENTIAL FOR ICING DURING MOST OF THE WINTER. IN ADDITION, EVIDENCE THAT THE INSULATION HAD TRAPPED WATER SUGGESTED THAT THE CONCRETE DECK AND STRUCTURAL STEEL COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. THE ONLY BENEFIT DERIVED FROM THE INSULATION WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF FREEZE-THAW CYCLES. THIS ATVANTAGE IS CONSIDERED TO BE SECONDARY, COMPARED TO THE EFFECT ON THE POTENTIAL FOR ICING. FURTHER USE OF INSULATION SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED AND INSULATION SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE EXPERIMENTAL BRIDGES. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1965/94/94-005.pdf
• 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:
  • Graham, Malcolm D
  • Rizzuto, Ignatius F
  • Corbisiero, Joseph A
• Publication Date: 1965

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 77-98
• Monograph Title: Maintenance practices
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 94
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Bridges; Electric insulating materials; Experiments; Freeze thaw durability; Icing; Insulating materials; Interchanges; Plastic foams; Reduction (Chemistry); Surface temperature; Temperature measurement; Urethane
• Geographic Terms: Rochester (New York)
• Old TRIS Terms: Reduction
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00217978
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 12 1994 12:00AM