9 minutes read
Bridges are an essential part of the transportation infrastructure around the globe. And like with roads, railways, and tunnels, they also need to be maintained and regularly repaired.
If you’re planning an overpass repair project, here are some things you should keep in mind to make sure your bridge solutions hold up against the test of time.
Traffic Erosion Mitigation
According to the latest Infrastructure Report Card, there are more than 617,000 bridges across the United States. Among those, 42% are at least 50 years old and 7.5% are considered structurally deficient due to wear and tear.
Many bridge repair products can mitigate traffic erosion, like sealants and primers. You might also want to include bridge deck protection that acts as a barrier to reduce the effects of traffic erosion.
Waterproofing
As we said, water can wreak havoc on a bridge if it’s not repaired properly. When it comes to bridge waterproofing, there are typically two solutions; sheet systems and sprayed systems. The former includes Polymer Modified Bituminous that are bonded to the bridge deck to make it water-resistant.
Bridge sealing with the spray method, Material Performance explained, is becoming one of the most popular bridge repair products because acrylic and Polyurethanes are easy to apply.
Crack Sealing
It’s always important to be proactive about filling in bridge cracks. Luckily, there are many sealing solutions to choose from. TxDot highlighted epoxy, gravity-fed sealant, and surface sealing are just a few of the ways you can repair cracks.
Concrete Strengthening
Need a way to strengthen a bridge during the repair process? The American Concrete Institute recommended Fiber-Reinforced Polymer. This material is made of strong finders embedded in a resin matrix that makes the end product stiff and ideal for strengthening concrete.
Epoxying and Grouting
Finally, you should always consider bridge grouting as part of good maintenance. This ensures the bridge remains stable and can hold up against the elements.
Preparing for your next bridge repair or routine maintenance? Garvin Construction Products has the selection of bridge repair products and expertise you need.
Contact us today to learn more about our selection and how our trusted professionals can help.
Sources
https://www.strongtie.com/products/rps/css/concrete-strengthening-applications
http://onlinemanuals.txdot.gov/txdotmanuals/crm/bridge_deck_spall_repair.htm