Title:
A Half Mile of Bridge Without a Joint
Author(s):
Edwin G. Burdette; David W. Goodpasture; and J. Harold Deatherage
Publication:
Concrete International
Volume:
25
Issue:
2
Appears on pages(s):
47-51
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
2/1/2003
Abstract:
The prestressed concrete bridge described in this article is 2700 ft (820 m) long, is continuous over 29 spans, and has joints only at the abutments. Observations of the condition of the bridge in 1981 and twenty years later are presented. While there is some cracking near the bottom of piers near one end of the bridge, pier reinforcement is adequate to assure structural integrity. Ironically, the only real structural problem, which is currently not critical but which may require future repair, relates to corroded prestressing tendons resulting from leakage through the expansion joints at the south abutment.