Evaluation of Products that Protect Concrete and Reinforcing Steel of Bridge Decks from Winter Maintenance Materials

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is faced with a conflicting challenge: (1) provide winter driving safety, which is enhanced by applying effective deicers such as magnesium chloride and (2) provide a durable, cost-effective transportation system, which is adversely affected by these same deicers. While nationwide research is underway on the effects of magnesium chloride, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) must continue deicer application, and simultaneously design, build, and maintain durable structures before this research is complete. This study was initiated to develop performance-based testing procedures to aid CDOT’s concrete selection and protection process. The study was also to evaluate commercially available products developed to resist deicer deterioration in parking garages, which may extend the service life of concrete bridge decks, and lower their life-cycle costs. Two parameters were tested that are significant to bridge deck and steel deterioration: chloride intrusion (that causes corrosion in the reinforcing steel), and loss of surface abrasion resistance (wear). The results of this study indicate that surface abrasion testing can readily be implemented on both laboratory samples and on field projects, to assess the resistance of various concrete mixtures and coatings to vehicular traffic wear. The rapid chloride permeability test proved valuable to assess the resistance to chloride penetration of these same concrete mixtures and coatings. This test can also be used on laboratory and field-based samples.

• Record URL:
  https://www.codot.gov/programs/research/pdfs/2006/products.pdf/
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Construction Technical Services

  7108 S Alton Way, Suite B
  Centennial, CO  United States  80112

  Colorado Department of Transportation

  4201 E Arkansas Avenue
  Denver, CO  United States  80222

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Caires, William S
  • Peters, Stanley R
• Publication Date: 2006-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 89p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abrasion resistance; Bridge decks; Chlorides; Concrete; Deicing chemicals; Field tests; Laboratory tests; Life cycle costing; Magnesium chloride; Permeability; Reinforcing steel; Service life; Test procedures; Winter maintenance
• Uncontrolled Terms: Rapid chloride permeability tests
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Finance; Highways; Materials; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls; I32: Concrete;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01043052
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: CDOT-2006-4
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 2 2007 8:53AM