Summary Of Past Experience And State-of-the-practice In The Design And Maintenance Of Small Movement Expansion Joints In The Northeast

Failing bridge joints can lead to major problems at beam ends, bearings, and substructure seat areas that are costly to repair. It is not surprising then that failed joints are a major concern for most bridge owners. To better understand the practices and performance of small movement expansion joints (less than two inches) in the northeast United States, the Transportation System Preservation Technical Services Program (TSP2) Northeast Bridge Preservation Partnership (NEBPP) conducted a study to investigate and report on the state-of-practice/performance of joints in the partnership agencies. A literature survey was first conducted to identify previous research conducted in the area. Next an online survey was conducted of engineers and maintenance personnel from the NEBPP agencies. Follow-up interviews were conducted where more detailed information was obtained about an agency’s specific practices and experience. Results were synthesized in a final report and are summarized in the paper. Several key findings of the study are (1) the most common joint used by the NEBPP agencies for new construction is the strip seal; the most common joints used during maintenance and repair are the asphaltic plug, strip seal, and poured silicone; (2) the joint most commonly avoided is the compression seal; (3) the majority of NEBPP agencies use manufacturer specifications to determine joint sizes; (4) the average lifespan of joints in new construction varies from 5 to 15 years, the average lifespan for maintenance or repair is 2 to 10 years; and (5) the two leading causes of joint failure were improper installation and lack of preventative maintenance.