National Concrete Pavement Technology Center

Project description

Since the 1970s, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) has used concrete overlays as a means of restoring its bridge decks and, as a result, the service life of the deck is commonly extended many years. This procedure has proven to be both effective and economically attractive. Despite that, concrete overlays cannot be considered a permanent repair as they are subjected to harsh conditions, similar to the original bridge decks. As time passes, the overlays often become delaminated from the original deck at or near the bond interface, leading to cracking and the intrusion of water and chloride ions, which accelerate the deterioration. A preservation solution involving the injection of epoxy resin into the cracks and voids has been developed and this solution has been implemented with success across Iowa. Even so, the length of additional service life and the most effective methods and materials of injection remain unknown.