Rapid Rehabilitation/Replacement of Bridge Decks

The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has over 4,830 m (3 miles) of major interstate bridges (3 to 5 lanes wide with approximately 55,740 m² (600,000 ft²) of deck) near downtown Birmingham with significant levels of deck cracking and deterioration. The rehabilitation or replacement (R/R) of these decks is obviously a matter of great concern because of the enormous cost and potential for disruptions of traffic. The objective of this research work was to identify the most viable rapid bridge deck rehabilitation or replacement (R/R) options which can be implemented under staged construction/concurrent traffic conditions. The objective was achieved by analyzing and synthesizing the results of a review of the literature, a mail questionnaire survey to all State DOT's in the U.S., telephone discussions with DOT bridge and maintenance engineers in over half the states in the U.S., in-person meetings with select personnel of the ALDOT from hands-on bridge maintenance and inspection personnel to bureau chiefs of the primary player bureaus, site visits to the Birmingham bridges, discussions and meetings with bridge deck product industry representatives, and site visits to four states to observe and discuss their rapid bridge deck rehabilitation practices. Execution of this work led to the following conclusions and recommendations: (1) A study should be immediately initiated to investigate and decide on the best means of meeting the excessive interstate traffic load through Birmingham. (2) Immediately initiate a study to determine the remaining fatigue/service life of the Birmingham interstate bridge support girders. (3) If results of the girder remaining fatigue study indicate a remaining life of 15 - 25 years then execute a structural condition assessment program to determine if the decks are sufficiently sound to rehabilitate via overlay. (4) Use an AL79 bridge near Birmingham which is scheduled to be taken out of service in 1999 to help determine the state and best course of action for the Birmingham bridges. (5) Place and monitor the performances of four candidate deck replacement! rehabilitation "test sections" described in the report. (6) If the results of girder remaining fatigue life study and the deck assessment program indicate rehabilitation via overlay, then place and monitor the performances of two candidate deck overlay "test sections". (7) Immediately expand the scope of study to begin implementing the above recommendations.