USE OF URETHANE FOAM AS A BRIDGE DECK INSULATOR

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF URETHANE FOAM AS A BRIDGE DECK INSULATOR. IT WAS FELT THAT INSULATION MIGHT BE USED TO PREVENT A BRIDGE DECK SURFACE FROM ICING OVER BEFORE THE SURFACE OF THE APPROACH PAVEMENT. URETHANE FOAM WAS APPLIED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BRIDGE DECK IN THREE TEST SECTIONS. THE THICKNESS OF THE FOAM WAS ONE INCH, THREE-QUARTER INCH, AND ONE-HALF INCH. THROUGH THE USE OF AUTOMATIC EQUIPMENT CONTINUOUS TEMPERATURE DATA WERE TAKEN DURING A WINTER SEASON. COMPARISONS OF FREEZING AND THAWING CYCLES HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THE TEST SECTIONS, AN UNINSULATED TEST SECTION OF THE BRIDGE, AND THE APPROACH PAVEMENT. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE MAJOR CONCLUSIONS WHICH ARE DRAWN' 1. THE URETHANE FOAM HAS SOME BENEFICIAL RESULTS IN THE REDUCTION IN NUMBER AND INTENSITY OF FREEZE-THAW CYCLES IN THESE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF NUMEROUS SHORT FREEZE-THAW CYCLES. 2. ALTHOUGH THE INSULATION MAY RETARD FREEZING IT MAY ALSO RETARD THAWING OF THE BRIDGE DECK. 3. IF INSULATION IS APPLIED TO A BRIDGE DECK IT SHOULD ALSO BE APPLIED TO THE SUPPORTING MEMBERS. /BPR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Bpr 8, WvsrC-15
• Corporate Authors:

  West Virginia State Road Commission

  1900 Kanawha Boulevard East
  Charleston, WV  United States  25305-0440
• Authors:
  • Davis, R E
• Publication Date: 1965-11

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Bridge substructures; Climate; Foams; Freeze thaw tests; Ice prevention; Insulating materials; Test sections; Urethane
• Old TRIS Terms: Insulators; Underside; Urethane foam
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00215830
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jan 1 1994 12:00AM