Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the durability of rapid-setting concrete batched using volumetric concrete mixers and placed in a cold region. The scope of work included field and laboratory evaluations of rapid-setting concrete repairs on both pavement panels and bridge decks in Utah. Six sites in northern Utah were selected by Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) personnel for evaluation. At the time of inspection, the repairs had been in service for 4 to 5 years. Field research included visual inspection, Schmidt rebound hammer testing, resistivity testing, and concrete sampling. Laboratory research included stiffness testing, compressive strength testing, splitting tensile strength testing, rapid chloride permeability testing, absorption measurements, hardened air void analyses, and chloride concentration analyses. The results are applicable to rapid-setting concrete repairs with similar concrete mixture designs, construction practices, and service conditions as those studied in this research. Regarding field research, cracking and scaling were observed to be the most prevalent among the sites evaluated in this research. Schmidt rebound numbers ranged from 40 to 55, which corresponds to a range of 5500 to 8700 psi, and all resistivity values correspond to a corrosion potential classification of “low.” Regarding laboratory research, stiffness values ranged from 3647 to 5431 ksi. All compressive strength values, which ranged from 5213 to 10867 psi, exceeded the minimum compressive strength of 5200 psi required by UDOT. Splitting tensile strength values ranged from 642 to 864 psi. Rapid chloride permeability test values corresponded to classifications of “negligible” or “very low,” and the absorption values of these specimens ranged from 7.5 to 9.9 percent. The hardened air void analyses indicated total air contents ranging from 4.6 to 11.9 percent, where the lowest and highest total air contents are outside the limits specified by UDOT, and microscope photographs suggest improper finishing practices and inadequate surface curing for those cores. The chloride concentration analyses showed that, in general, chloride concentration decreases with increasing depth, and, overall, chloride concentrations ranged from less than 0.1 to 12.8 lb Cl-/yd3 of concrete within the upper 4 in. With recommended improvements in mixture design, finishing, and curing, rapid-setting concrete batched using volumetric concrete mixers should continue to be used for repairs of concrete pavement panels and bridge decks in Utah to expedite the concrete curing process and thereby minimize the impacts of lane closures on traffic.

Degree

College and Department

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering; Civil and Construction Engineering

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