Abstract

Although the application of surface treatments on bridge decks is expected to positively impact bridge deck condition, the effectiveness of specific surface treatments on extending bridge deck life has not yet been quantified on Utah bridge decks. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to develop and analyze deterioration curves for bare concrete bridge decks and decks with specific treatments commonly used in Utah. The scope of this study was determined by the types and extent of electronically available data, including selected static inventory information; maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction histories; and National Bridge Inventory (NBI) condition ratings for the bridge decks. Bridge deck selection criteria and analysis procedures were developed to enable evaluation of the effects of surface treatments on bridge decks in Utah. Characteristics of a typical bridge were defined, and a list of typical bridges was produced to minimize potentially confounding effects of atypical bridge characteristics in comparisons of deterioration curves for monolithic concrete decks, decks with a bituminous overlay, decks with an epoxy overlay, and decks with a latex-modified concrete overlay. Climatic differences were taken into account by grouping bridges not only by overlay type, but also by Utah Department of Transportation region, which was used in this research as a general surrogate for latitude. Individual bridge deck deterioration curves were then combined to generate average deterioration curves aligned by deck construction time and average deterioration curves aligned by deck treatment time. To at least partially account for the potentially different effects of different treatment times, the bridge groups involving overlays were divided into two treatment time categories, early and late, for analysis. The average deterioration curves aligned by deck construction time suggest that certain treatments applied at certain times can achieve average NBI ratings greater than those for monolithic concrete during selected years of bridge deck life. The average deterioration curves aligned by deck treatment time suggest that certain treatments applied at certain times can achieve improvements in NBI ratings that correspond to apparent increases in bridge deck service life. Primarily because the NBI rating system is based mainly on visual inspection, the full benefits of early applications of surface treatments are not apparent in the results of this research. Supplemental perspectives may be gained about the performance of specific surface treatments by evaluating bridge deck deterioration in terms of delamination, half-cell potential, and chloride concentration, for example, which are direct measures of the deterioration process typically experienced by concrete bridge decks in Utah.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology; Civil and Environmental Engineering

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2018-04-01

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd9886

Keywords

bituminous overlay, deterioration curve, epoxy overlay, latex-modified concrete overlay, monolithic concrete, National Bridge Inventory condition rating

Language

english

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