Reflective cracking in bridge deck surfacings of asphalt

Title: Reflective cracking in bridge deck surfacings of asphalt
Author(s): E.J. Vater
Paper category : conference
Book title: Fourth International RILEM Conference on Reflective Cracking in Pavements - Research in Practice
Editor(s): A. O. Abd El Halim, D. A. Taylor
and El H. H. Mohamed
Print-ISBN: 2-912143-14-4
e-ISBN: 2351580265
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2000
Pages: 331 - 341
Total Pages: 11
Nb references: 6
Language: English

Abstract: 
Already existent or developing cracks in reinforced concrete bridge decks induced by temperature changes and traffic loads must be adequately covered to provide long-term protection of the structure from the ingress of water and hence against corrosion. That is why flexible sheets or membranes are applied to asphalt bridge deck surfacings which have crack bridging features.

Since 1987 several types of asphalt surfacings have been employed in the Federal Republic of Germany where the waterproof and crack bridging membrane consisting on one or two bitumen sheets or of a liquid polymer resin is directly integrated into the bridge deck surfacing providing for a permanent adhesion bond between the asphaltic surface and the reinforced concrete of the deck. This method has proved to be reliable and has in recent years reduced the maintenance costs of the altogether about 35 000 bridges in Germany.

In order to investigate the performance of such crack bridging surfacings extensive long-term laboratory tests were carried out in the Federal Institute for Materials research and Testing (BAM). An model was developed taking the interaction of the entire system, i.e. concrete - waterproof and crack bridging membrane - asphaltic protection layer into account.

On the one hand this model enables us to quantify the influence of the layered structure of the system and the nature and thickness of the coating layers used on the crack bridging properties of the bridge deck surfacing system and on the other hand to predict the development of reflective cracking in practice.

Online publication: 2009-12-23
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00