2013 Session: 335

• Evaluation of Bridge Deck Early-Age Cracking
  Abstract: Early age bridge deck cracking is a major problem affecting the durability of the United States Bridges. Many factors can cause early age bridge deck cracking including change in temperature, hydration, plastic shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, and drying shrinkage. The presence of cracking may increase the effect of free and thaw cycle and may lead to corrosion of reinforcement which may lead to deterioration of the entire bridge. It is crucial to investigate the issue of early age cracking in bridge decks in order to provide solutions to improve the safety of the United States bridges. The research examines the use of different sealing materials to seal the developed cracks while the performance criteria can be achieved. Also, an analytical study is performed to study the importance of major parameters that may control the transverse deck cracking such as load patterns, load magnitude, span length, number of spans, and continuity. The outcomes of this study identify suitable sealant materials and also identify set of recommendations to limit the cracking problem and hence resulting in longer service life to bridges
  Authors: Elsafty, Adel; Abdel-Mohti, Ahmed
  Authors: Elsafty, Adel; Abdel-Mohti, Ahmed
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation
  Session: 335
  Paper Number: 13-3348
• Experimental Investigation of Multilayer Surfacing System on Orthotropic Steel Bridge with the Five-Point Bending Test
  Abstract: Due to lightweight and flexibility, orthotropic steel deck bridges become popular the last decades but several problems were reported in relation to asphalt surfacing materials such as rutting, cracking, loss of bond between the surfacing system and steel deck. In the Netherlands a surfacing structure for orthotropic steel bridge decks mostly consists of five structural layers: top porous asphalt layer, guss asphalt layer, steel deck and two membrane layers.The five-point bending fatigue test is the standard device in France for asphalt concrete used on steel orthotropic deck bridges to perform the best asphalt mixture having a strong resistance to cracking. For the needs of this paper the 5 PBT was employed in order to evaluate the performance of the whole multilayer structure on steel deck and also to evaluate the mechanical properties of both top and bottom membrane and the influence they have on the structure.For the completion of the experimental investigation two types of specimen have been tested using the 5PBT set up. Displacement sensors have been used in order to detect the initiation of cracks where they are most likely to appear. Strain gauges have been used in order to monitor significant changes in strain on the Guss asphalt layer during the fatigue tests. Shear displacements between the asphalt layers are monitored and presented. It shows that the stiffness and the bonding characteristics of the intermediate membrane sheet as well as the wearing course behaviour seem to have great influence on the mechanical response of multilayer bridge surfacing system.
  Authors: Tzimiris, George
  Authors: Tzimiris, George
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation
  Session: 335
  Paper Number: 13-3709
• Stress Data and Artificial Neural Network for Evaluating Transverse Connection Integrity of Full-Depth Deck Panels
  Abstract: Prefabricated bridge elements and systems (PBES) are widely used to accelerate bridge construction. The expectation is to develop bridges with service life of 100 years or more. Prefabrication is expected to offer durable components or systems to build bridges with such a long service life. However, field cast connections between PBES are the weakest link in terms of durability. Hence, to develop durable bridges not only the use of durable PBES but also the use of connection details and materials with a record of durable performance and implementation of the best practices in construction, quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC), and maintenance are needed. When a bridge that is built using PBES is considered as a structural system, deterioration is going to start at the field cast connections. Hence, it is vital to identify the onset of deterioration at connections before visual signs are developed to initiate maintenance actions to be effective and efficient in arresting further deterioration. When a bridge is considered, the deck is the shelter of the structure which is subjected to severe loads due to exposure and traffic. Hence, detecting the onset of deck connection deterioration is vital to ensure a long service life of a bridge. This paper presents an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based approach for detecting onset of precast component connection deterioration. As a prototype, a full-depth deck panel system is used. The stress data recorded at a transverse connection is used. The results are promising; however, need further investigations to establish the distress thresholds.
  Authors: Mansiz, Cem; Attanayake, Upul Bandara
  Authors: Mansiz, Cem; Attanayake, Upul Bandara
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation
  Session: 335
  Paper Number: 13-4661
• Development of Test Method for Assessing the Bonding Characteristics of Membrane Layers in Wearing Course Laid on Orthotropic Steel Bridge Decks
  Abstract: In order to characterize adequately the adhesive bonding strength of the various membranes with surrounding materials on orthotropic steel decks and collect the necessary parameters for FE modeling, details of the Membrane Adhesion Test (MAT) have been introduced. Analytical constitutive relations of MAT device have been derived on the basis of Williams (10). Furthermore, on the basis of experimental data obtained from MAT, ranking of the bonding characteristics of various membrane products is demonstrated as well as the role of other influencing factors, such as the types of substrate and test temperatures.
  Authors: Liu, Xueyan
  Authors: Liu, Xueyan
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation
  Session: 335
  Paper Number: 13-0684
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Experimental Investigation of Multilayer Surfacing System on Orthotropic Steel Bridge with the Five-Point Bending Test
  Authors: Tzimiris, George
  Authors: Tzimiris, George
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation
  Session: 335
  Paper Number: 13-3709
• Development of Test Method for Assessing the Bonding Characteristics of Membrane Layers in Wearing Course Laid on Orthotropic Steel Bridge Decks
  Authors: Liu, Xueyan
  Authors: Liu, Xueyan
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation
  Session: 335
  Paper Number: 13-0684
• Stress Data and Artificial Neural Network for Evaluating Transverse Connection Integrity of Full-Depth Deck Panels
  Authors: Attanayake, Upul
  Authors: Attanayake, Upul
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Bridges and Other Structures; Maintenance and Preservation
  Session: 335
  Paper Number: 13-4661