GALVANIZED RE-STEEL STUDIED FOR CONCRETE BRIDGE DECKS

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GALVANIZING THE TOP REINFORCING BARS IN PREVENTING OF FRACTURE-PLANE DETERIORATION OF BRIDGE DECKS WAS INVESTIGATED. TWENTY-NINE GALVANIZED EXPOSURE SLABS (3 FT X 4 FT. X 7.5 IN) AND A CONCRETE COVER RANGING FROM 0.5 IN TO 2 IN WERE USED IN THE TEST. A SIMULATED COMPOSITE DECK WAS CAST IN THE FIELD AND GALVANIZED AND UNGALVANIZED BARS WERE USED IN THE TOP MAT. PROCEDURAL DETAILS ARE OUTLINED. SLABS AND DECKS ARE INSPECTED SEMINANNUALLY FOR VISUAL INDICATIONS OF DETERIORATION. ULTRASONIC INSPECTIONS FOR DELAMINATION ARE PLANNED AND SAWINGS AND/OR CORING MAY BE USED IN FINAL EVALUATIONS. IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT SALT SOLUTIONS HAVE PENETRATED THE TOP LAYER OF STEEL CAUSING SERIOUS SURFACE DETERIORATION. RUSTING OF THE UNGALVANIZED BARS HAS ALSO BEEN OBSERVED. IN ORDER TO DETERMINE RELATIVE PERFORMANCE, GALVANIZED BARS WILL BE PLACED OVER ONE-HALF OF THE DECK ON EACH OF FIVE NEW BRIDGES. IN A SECOND SERIES OF TESTS THESE DECKS WILL BE PLACED IN URBAN STREETS WHERE THEY WILL BE SUBJECT TO MAXIMUM TRAFFIC AND DEICING CHEMICAL ACTION, AND OBSERVATIONS WILL BE MADE OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS. PREVIOUS TESTS BY OTHER AGENCIES HAVE SHOWN NO DETERIORATION OF GALVANIZED BARS WHILE SPECIMENS WITH UNCOATED BARS SHOWED VISIBLE LONGITUDINAL CRACKING. CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM TESTS CONDUCTED IN KANSAS ARE ALSO REPORTED.

• Publication Date: 1972-6

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 35-6
• Serial:
  • Rural and Urban Roads
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue Number: 6

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Concrete; Corrosion; Galvanizing; Testing
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00217238
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1973 12:00AM