Effects of Construction Procedures and Material Properties on Low-Cracking High-Performance Concrete (LC-HPC) Bridge Decks

Research dating to 1970 provides strong guidance on how to reduce cracking in bridge decks. This knowledge is being applied in a pooled-fund study with 19 state Departments of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration to develop aggregate, concrete, and construction specifications for low-cracking high performance concrete (LC-HPC) bridge decks. In Phase I of the study, 20 bridge decks were constructed using a combination of best practices. Techniques to reduce cracking include a reduction in the cement paste content of the concrete while maintaining workability, finishability, and pumpability through the use of optimized aggregate gradations, limiting slump, maintaining adequate air content, deemphasizing the importance of high compressive strength and low concrete permeability, controlling the temperature of the concrete at the time of placement, minimizing evaporation during placement, improved curing, and reducing the rate of drying after curing is complete. The background and specifications are presented, along with a discussion of the effects of construction procedures and concrete properties on the level of cracking observed in 14 bridge decks constructed in Kansas. Crack densities are uniformly below densities observed in matching conventional bridge decks, and deck performance is clearly connected to the degree to which the LC-HPC specifications are met. Phase II of the study with the construction of 20 additional bridge decks is now underway.

[1]  J. H. Rose,et al.  Production of Granulated Blast Furnace Slag at Sparrows Point, and the Workability and Strength Potential of Concrete Incorporating the Slag , 1983 .

[2]  R. D. HootonR.D. Hooton,et al.  Deicing salt scaling resistance of concrete incorporating supplementary cementing materials: laboratory and field test data , 2008 .

[3]  Neil G. Thompson,et al.  Corrosion costs and maintenance strategies : A civil/industrial and government partnership , 2005 .

[4]  Vtt Publications,et al.  Early age autogenous shrinkage of concrete , 2001 .

[5]  P. Cady,et al.  Factors Affecting the Durability of Concrete Bridge Decks , 1975 .

[6]  K. Kovler,et al.  Efficiency of lightweight aggregates for internal curing of high strength concrete to eliminate autogenous shrinkage , 2002 .

[7]  David Darwin,et al.  Evaluating Shrinkage and Cracking Behavior of Concrete Using Restrained Ring and Free Shrinkage Tests , 2005 .

[8]  Dale P. Bentz,et al.  Mitigating Autogenous Shrinkage by Internal Curing , 2004, SP-218: High Performance Structural Lightweight Concrete.

[9]  D Whiting,et al.  SILICA FUME CONCRETE FOR BRIDGE DECKS , 1998 .

[10]  K Babaei,et al.  Prevention of cracks in concrete bridge decks - summary report , 1995 .

[11]  A. K. Suryavanshi,et al.  EVALUATION OF RAPID CHLORIDE PERMEABILITY TEST (RCPT) RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CONTAINING MINERAL ADMIXTURES , 2000 .

[12]  E Tazawa,et al.  Drying Shrinkage and Creep of Concrete Containing Granulated Blast Furnace Slag , 1989, "SP-114: Fly Ash, Silica Fume, Slag, and Natural Pozzolans in Concrete: Proceedings of the Third International Conference".

[13]  Dale P. Bentz,et al.  Curing With Shrinkage-Reducing Admixtures Beyond Drying Shrinkage Reduction. , 2005 .

[14]  G G Clemena,et al.  Corrosion Protection: Concrete Bridges , 1998 .

[15]  George W. Scherer,et al.  A review of salt scaling: II. Mechanisms , 2007 .

[16]  P Klieger,et al.  EARLY HIGH-STRENGTH CONCRETE FOR PRESTRESSING , 1969 .

[17]  Sidney Mindess,et al.  Bonding in Cementitious Composites: How Important is it? , 1987 .

[18]  David Darwin,et al.  Cracking and Chloride Contents in Reinforced Concrete Bridge Decks , 2005 .

[19]  John J. Valenza,et al.  A review of salt scaling: I. Phenomenology , 2007 .

[20]  Magne Maage,et al.  Effect of Microsilica on the Durability of Concrete Structures , 1987 .

[21]  James M. Shilstone,et al.  Concrete Mixture Optimization , 1990 .

[22]  T. Powers,et al.  THE AIR REQUIREMENT OF FROST RESISTANT CONCRETE , 1950 .

[23]  Daniel Cusson,et al.  Internal curing of high-performance concrete with pre-soaked fine lightweight aggregate for prevention of autogenous shrinkage cracking , 2008 .

[24]  George W. Scherer,et al.  Mechanisms of salt scaling , 2005 .

[25]  Will Hansen,et al.  ULTIMATE DRYING SHRINKAGE OF CONCRETE-INFLUENCE OF MAJOR PARAMETERS , 1987 .

[26]  Paul Klieger.  Effect of Atmospheric Conditions During the Bleeding Period and Time of Finishing on the Scale Resistance of Concrete , 1955 .

[27]  D. Whiting,et al.  Curing and Chloride Permeability , 1987 .

[28]  H. K. Hilsdorf,et al.  Effect of Curing and Type of Cement on the Resistance of Concrete to Freezing in Deicing Salt Solutions , 1987, SP-100: Concrete Durability: Proceedings of Katharine and Bryant Mather International Symposium.

[29]  B. B. Sabir,et al.  Freeze-thaw durability of air-entrained CSF concrete , 1991 .

[30]  Henry G. Russell.  CONCRETE BRIDGE DECK PERFORMANCE , 2004 .

[31]  George W. Scherer,et al.  Mechanism for salt scaling of a cementitious surface , 2005 .

[32]  T C Powers,et al.  "A tribute to Theory of Volume Changes in Hardened Portland-Cement Paste during Freezing""""" , 2008, SP-249: Selected Landmark Paper Collection on Concrete Materials Research.

[33]  David Darwin,et al.  Role of Silica Fume in Compressive Strength of Cement Paste, Mortar, and Concrete , 1992 .

[34]  P. Cady,et al.  Cracking of Fresh Concrete as Related to Reinforcement , 1975 .

[35]  Jerome F. Hajjar,et al.  Transverse Cracking in Concrete Bridge Decks , 1999 .

[36]  J E McDonald.  The potential for cracking of silica-fume concrete , 1991 .

[37]  Nabil Hossiney,et al.  Modulus of Elasticity, Creep and Shrinkage of Concrete – PHASE II: Part 2– Low Modulus Concrete , 2009 .

[38]  P. K. Mehta.  Durability of Concrete in Marine Environment--A Review , 1980 .

[39]  Pa Wedding,et al.  Resistance to Freezing and Thawing of Silica Fume Concrete , 1984 .

[40]  David Darwin,et al.  Effect of Cracking on Chloride Content in Concrete Bridge Decks , 2006 .

[41]  Paul Klieger,et al.  STUDIES OF 'SALT' SCALING OF CONCRETE , 1957 .

[42]  P D Krauss,et al.  TRANSVERSE CRACKING IN NEWLY CONSTRUCTED BRIDGE DECKS , 1996 .

[43]  John Forbes Olesen,et al.  Influence of Cement Particle‐Size Distribution on Early Age Autogenous Strains and Stresses in Cement‐Based Materials , 2001 .

[44]  Bernard Erlin,et al.  A Closer Look at Entrained Air in Concrete , 2005 .

[45]  H. Ludwig,et al.  FREEZE-THAW AND FREEZE-DEICING SALT RESISTANCE OF CONCRETES CONTAINING CEMENT RICH IN GRANULATED BLAST FURNACE SLAG , 1997 .

[46]  K Babaei,et al.  PREVENTION OF CRACKS IN CONCRETE BRIDGE DECKS: REPORT ON OBSERVATIONS OF BRIDGE DECK CONSTRUCTION AND CONCRETE SHRINKAGE MEASUREMENTS IN THE FIELD , 1995 .

[47]  Eigil V. Sorensen.  Freezing and Thawing Resistance of Condensed Silica Fume (Microsilica) Concrete Exposed to Deicing Chemicals , 1983 .

[48]  David Darwin,et al.  PERFORMANCE AND CONSTRUCTABILITY OF SILICA FUME BRIDGE DECK OVERLAYS , 2000 .

[49]  Neil G. Thompson,et al.  Corrosion protection system for construction and rehabilitation of reinforced concrete bridges , 2005 .

[50]  David Darwin,et al.  Evaluating free shrinkage of concrete for control of cracking in bridge decks , 2007 .

[51]  M. J. Setzer,et al.  Freeze-Thaw Durability of Concrete , 1996 .

[52]  Mark D Luther,et al.  SILICA-FUME (MICROSILICA) CONCRETE IN BRIDGES IN THE UNITED STATES , 1988 .

[53]  Hani Nassif,et al.  Effect of Curing Methods on Durability of High-Performance Concrete , 2002 .

[54]  K Babaei,et al.  PREVENTION OF CRACKS IN CONCRETE BRIDGE DECKS: REPORT ON LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS OF CONCRETE SHRINKAGE , 1995 .

[55]  Vesa Penttala,et al.  Drying of lightweight concrete produced from crushed expanded clay aggregates , 1996 .

[56]  James M. Shilstone.  Performance-based concrete mixtures and specifications for today , 2002 .

[57]  South Dakota,et al.  The Deleterious Chemical Effects of Concentrated Deicing Solutions on Portland Cement Concrete , 2008 .

[58]  V M Malhotra,et al.  DEICING SALT SCALING RESISTANCE OF CONCRETE INCORPORATING SUPPLEMENTARY CEMENTING MATERIALS: CANMET RESEARCH , 1997 .

[59]  K. Kovler,et al.  Prevention of autogenous shrinkage in high-strength concrete by internal curing using wet lightweight aggregates , 2001 .

[60]  David Darwin,et al.  Cracking in Concrete Bridge Decks , 1995 .

[61]  Scott Schlorholtz,et al.  Deicer Scaling Resistance of Concrete Pavements, Bridge Decks, and Other Structures Containing Slag Cement. Phase 1: Site Selection and Analysis of Field Cores , 2008 .

[62]  R. N. Swamy,et al.  USE OF LIGHTWEIGHT AGGREGATE CONCRETE FOR STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS , 1980 .

[63]  Michel Pigeon,et al.  Influence of Fly Ash and Slag on Deicer Salt Scaling Resistance of Concrete , 2000, SP-192: 2000 Canmet/ACI Conference on Durability of Concrete.

[64]  T. Powers.  A Working Hypothesis for Further Studies of Frost Resistance of Concrete , 1945 .

[65]  W. J. Weiss,et al.  Using Acoustic Emission to Montitor Damage Development in Mortars Restrained from Volumetric Changes , 2002 .