Low-Cracking, High-Performance Concrete Bridge Decks

Low Porosity, High Strength Concrete for Bridge Decks

IN TR O D U CTIO N -TH E PROBLEM A few years ago a problem that previously had been a modest highway maintenance concern suddenly became a major source of dif­ ficulty and expense to highway departments in many areas of the coun­ try; including Indiana. In brief, concrete bridge decks, some new, started to spall, then delaminate, then come apart in relatively large chunks. The problem was quick...

Design of Ultra High performance Concrete as an Overlay in Pavements and Bridge Decks

NUTC R321 Disclaimer The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s), who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of information presented herein. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of The main objective of this research was to develop ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) as a reliable, economic, low carbon foot print and durable concrete overlay materia...

Investigation into Shrinkage of High-Performance Concrete Used for Iowa Bridge Decks

Extending service life of high performance concrete bridge decks with internal curing

High performance concrete (HPC) bridge decks are prone to premature cracking if movement is restrained. Internal curing (IC) can reduce shrinkage cracking in concrete structures, thus improving their performance and service life. However, there is very limited information available in the literature on the possible extension of service life due to internal curing. This paper addresses this ques...

Control of Cracking in Bridge Decks: Observations from the Field

Crack surveys of bridge decks, performed over a 10-year period in northeast Kansas as part of three studies, provide strong guidance in identifying the parameters that control cracking in these structures. The surveys involve steel girder bridges—bridges that are generally agreed to exhibit the greatest amount of cracking in the concrete decks. The surveys include monolithic decks and decks wit...