Description
This guide addresses typical problems and cost-effective maintenance techniques for highway bridges and their members, providing guidance to engineers and maintenance staff. Maintenance is crucial to a bridge’s lifespan and continued functionality, as well as to the public safety. Continuous and systematic maintenance of a bridge will extend its service life and reduce its overall operating cost.
Concrete bridge maintenance is defined as those activities that are relatively inexpensive and repeatable, performed when a concrete member is still in good to fair condition, and are intended to prevent or minimize deterioration of the concrete. These activities include sealing, washing, caulking, crack repair, and other minor repairs intended to prolong functionality of bridge members.
This guide does not cover major rehabilitation, reconstruction, or bridge inspection. Detailed methods of repairing and inspecting bridges are referenced wherever necessary throughout the guide relative to the subject matter.
Keywords: bridges; cementitious; coating; maintenance; placement; polymer; sealant.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1—INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE
1.1—Introduction
1.2—Scope
CHAPTER 2—DEFINITIONS
CHAPTER 3—MAINTENANCE OF BRIDGES
3.1—Bridge maintenance
3.2—Limitations
3.3—Timing of maintenance
CHAPTER 4—DETERIORATION OF BRIDGES
4.1—Deterioration indicators
4.2—Causes
4.3—Contributing factors
CHAPTER 5—CONSIDERATIONS IN BRIDGE DESIGN
5.1—General
5.2—Decks and curbs
5.3—Deck joints
5.4—Superstructure
5.5—Substructures
CHAPTER 6—DRAINAGE AND WASHING
6.1—General
6.2—Deck drainage
6.3—Washing exposed surfaces
6.4—Maintenance of deck drains
6.5—Other drain considerations
CHAPTER 7—SEALING
7.1—General
7.2—Purpose
7.3—Sealing materials
7.4—Suggested areas for sealing
7.5—Recommended practice
7.6—Product selection
CHAPTER 8—MAINTENANCE PATCHING
8.1—General
8.2—Purpose
8.3—Selecting durable patching materials
8.4—Recommended patching procedures
CHAPTER 9—JOINTS AND CRACKS
9.1—General
9.2—Maintenance of joints
9.3—Cracks
9.4—Crack repair
9.5—Joint caulking
CHAPTER 10—NOTABLE TECHNIQUES FOR BRIDGE MAINTENANCE
10.1—General
10.2—Corrosion inhibitors for use in maintenance
10.3—Galvanic cathodic protection using sprayed zinc
10.4—Discrete or spot anodes
CHAPTER 11—SUMMARY
CHAPTER 12—REFERENCES
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