OLD BRIDGE GETS NEW LEASE ON LIFE

PROCEDURES ARE DESCRIBED FOR RENOVATING AN 85-YEAR-OLD BRIDGE IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH. A DECK AND WALKWAY OF HIGH STRENGTH, LIGHT-WEIGHT PANELS OF ALUMINUM WERE INSTALLED. THIS ORTHOTROPIC DECK OF ALUMINUM ELIMINATES DEADWEIGHT WHILE DOUBLING LOAD-BEARING CAPACITY FROM TEN TONS TO TWENTY TONS. APPLICATION OF THE ORTHOTROPIC DECK TECHNIQUE STRENGTHENS THE SPAN WHILE ELIMINATING 108 TONS. A POLYESTER-RESIN-SAND COMBINATION IS SHOP APPLIED TO THE PLATE SURFACE TO A DEPTH OF 3/8 IN. FOR TIRE TRACTION ON THE ROADWAY SURFACE. WHEN TWO OF THE PANELS ARE INSTALLED SIDE BY SIDE, THEY BOW UPWARD SLIGHTLY AT THE CENTER LINE TO FORM A NATURAL HIGHWAY CROWN. UNAFFECTED BY WEATHER, ROAD SALTS AND EXTREME CYCLIC LOAD VARIATIONS, THE POLYESTER COAT CANNOT DEVELOP POTHOLES FOUND IN NORTHERN CITY STREETS.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 21, No 4, P 47
• Publication Date: 1968-4

Media Info

• Serial:
  • World Construction
  • Publisher: Donnelley (Reuben H) Corporation

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aluminum; Bearing capacity; Bridge decks; Coatings; Highway bridges; Orthotropic; Polyester resins; Rehabilitation; Resins; Surface treating
• Old TRIS Terms: Renovating
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00208474
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 1 1994 12:00AM