The Effect of Crack Motion during Epoxy Crack Injection and Curing

One strategy to regain structural integrity of cracked reinforced concrete bridge deck girders is to inject the cracks with epoxy. Many bridge owners allow all traffic to use the bridge during injection and curing, while other bridge owners restrict traffic to produce a hold time in which cracks do not open and close. This research study used a laboratory setup to determine the effect of temperature and hold time on epoxy undergoing curing. The comparative measure was the tensile strength of the epoxy after curing. The results showed that traffic should be restricted to stop the crack motion during injection and until the epoxy sets. After the epoxy has set, crack motion while the epoxy undergoes full cure degrades the tensile strength of the epoxy, but not to levels that would affect the structural integrity of the beam.

• Record URL:
  http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Programs/ResearchDocuments/CrackInjection.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Oregon Department of Transportation

  Research Section, 200 Hawthorne Avenue, SE, Suite B-240
  Salem, OR  United States  97301-5192

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Soltesz, Steve
• Publication Date: 2005-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 54p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Concrete curing; Cracking; Epoxy resins; Girders; Reinforced concrete; Temperature; Tensile strength; Traffic restraint
• Uncontrolled Terms: Injection; Structural integrity
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01001460
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-OR-RD-05-11
• Contract Numbers: SPR 611
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jun 27 2005 10:42AM