INNOVATIONS IN IMPREGNATION TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAY CONCRETE

Corrosion of reinforcing steel due to the penetration of deicing salts poses a considerable problem in bridge decks. One approach that has received much attention has been impregnation of the bridge deck with a liquid monomer followed by polymerization to effectively seal the capillary pores against salt intrusion. This approach is technically feasible in the field. The present impregnation techniques, however, are costly in terms of energy, materials, and time, and simplifications and improvement would be desirable. In this paper, results are described of preliminary experiments with sulfur, tar, and mixtures of the two as surface impregnants and with a pressure-mat technique for mechanically assisting monomer or sealant penetration. It is shown that the impregnation of portland cement concrete and mortar by molten sulfur, tar, and an 80:20 mixture of the two yields significant reductions in moisture absorption and increases in strength and that, in the case of concrete slabs, predrying may not be necessary. It is also shown that pressure mechanically applied to patterned rubber mats can effect uniform impregnation with a monomer such as methylmethacrylate or with a sealant such as tar or linseed oil. Such an impregnation could conceivably be effected by using rollers. Thus, initial feasibility of two potential improvements in concrete impregnation processes has been demonstrated.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1975/542/542-004.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=INNOVATIONS+IN+IMPREGNATION+TECHNIQUES+FOR+HIGHWAY+CONCRETE&author=H.+Mehta&author=W.+Chen&author=J.+Manson&author=J.+Vanderhoff&publication_year=1975
• Availability:
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Adhesives, Bonding Agents, and Their Uses. 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:
  • Mehta, H C
  • Chen, Wai-Fah
  • Manson, J A
  • Vanderhoff, J W
• Conference:
  • 54th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia
  • Date: 1975-1-13 to 1975-1-17
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 29-40
• Monograph Title: Polymer Concrete
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 542
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Concrete; Corrosion protection; Experiments; Impregnation (Engineering); Linseed oil; Methyl methacrylate; Monomers; Polymerization; Polymers; Pores; Sealing (Technology); Sealing compounds; Sulfur; Tar
• Uncontrolled Terms: Pores
• Old TRIS Terms: Methlymethacrylate; Sealing
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00127400
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309023955
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 3 1975 12:00AM