Research Paper

Prepared by Ying Song 05/04/2012

1 Introduction
The Klamath River Bridge is located in a rugged mountainous area near Yreka in Siskiyou County, California. The bridge was constructed in 1931. It has a long history of maintenance problems. Investigations indicate the bridge suffered from deterioration involving most of the reinforced concrete elements as a result of aging and exposure to road salt. I chose this topic for the following reasons: 1) It is closely related to the CE816 content; 2) I want to share some experience on how to develop rational strategies for the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of concrete bridge based on Caltrans Life Cycle Cost Analysis.

2 Condition Evaluation
2.1 Condition Survey
2.1.1 Deterioration Overview Since 1995, the Klamath River Bridge continues to experience heavy concrete deterioration and spalling throughout the structure. Problems with the structural concrete and reinforcement steel were reported as early as 1951. Inspections have revealed numerous examples of cracking, spalling concrete, and delaminating of reinforcement steel.

Figure1. Existing corrosion and delaminating at deck soffit 2.1.2 Deterioration Description

Four types of deterioration could be observed on the Klamath River Bridge: Spalling of the layer of concrete between the surface and the reinforcing bars; Scaling and/or popouts; Concrete disintegration; Cracking;

Figure 2. Existing Structure Conditions

Figure 3. Deflection of soffit at large crack

Routine inspections reported that delaminating reinforcement and spalling concrete are widespread. Many maintenance repairs over time have kept the bridge in service but it is structurally deficient.

2.2 Diagnosis of deterioration symptoms

2.2.1 Evidence used for failure diagnosis From ACI 201.2, General concrete disintegration covers a host of concrete materials-related problems: Freezing and thawing deterioration; Alkali-silica reactive aggregates; Alkali-carbonate reactive aggregates; sulfate attack; Expansive oxidation/hydration reactions involving aggregates (e.g., pyrite/marcasite, periclase, gypsum, zeolites, clay minerals); and D-cracking (a freeze-thaw related mechanism usually associated with slabs on grade, but which might be found in bridge substructure elements). 2.2.2 Causes Analysis Investigations indicated the Klamath River Bridge suffers from deterioration involving most of the reinforced concrete elements as a result of aging and exposure to road salt. The primary cause for deterioration of concrete bridge components is the chloride-induced corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Wedging action resulting from the production of voluminous corrosion reaction causes cracking and spalling of the concrete. Normally, reinforcing steel is in a passive (non-corroding) state due to the highly basic environment (pH > 12.5) in concrete. However, the presence of chloride ions at the concrete/steel interface in excess of the reaction threshold level depassivates the steel, and corrosion usually ensues. On bridges, the source of the chloride ion is usually from deicing chemicals applied in the snowbelt areas for winter trafficability or contact (directly or by means of aerosols) with seawater in coastal areas. Other potential causes for deterioration of concrete bridge components include: Freezing and thawing damage due to inadequately air-entrained concrete or frost-susceptible aggregate materials; Alkali-silica and alkali carbonate reactivity for certain aggregate materials; Use of an excessive amount of water in the concrete mixture; Improper concrete placement, famishing, or curing practices; Accidental damage from collision or fire; and

Design practices that fail to properly consider drainage requirements, stresses due to live and dead loads, shrinkage, or expansion.

2.2.3 Tests for Evaluation of Concrete Bridge Methods developed for SHRP C-101 have been used in the bridge condition assessment procedure: Measuring the rate of corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete; Assessing the condition of concrete bridge decks using radar; Determining the integrity of membrane systems on bridge decks; Determining the effectiveness of penetrating concrete sealers using the electrical resistance method; Determining the effectiveness of penetrating concrete sealers using the water absorption method; Determining the chloride content of concrete in the field; Determining the relative permeability of concrete in field;

3 Concrete Restoration
3.1 Repair Strategies Selection

Figure 4. Treatment Selection Based on Structure's Condition

Surface Seal Replacement; The Klamath River Bridge is in need of repair and strengthening. Periodic bridge inspections have detected salt contamination and deterioration of the concrete deck below the asphalt wearing surface. The effects of chloride contamination from salting roads are notable in the bridge deck, sidewalks and railings. The existing asphalt wearing surface allows water to seep through and is unable to protect the bridge from further deterioration. The original railings are crumbling and the steel reinforcement is showing in many places.

We know the permeability of the concrete is one of the most important factors which will affect the rate of deterioration of rebar corrosion, alkali-aggregate reaction, carbonation, and the effects of freeze-thaw cycles, of which all could occur at the same time. For this reason, penetrating sealers are used on Klamath's Portland Cement Concrete bridge decks, the permeability of the concrete is reduced by up to one order of magnitude, so as to reduce the rate of chloride attack on the reinforcing steel corrosion thereby extending service life and reducing life-cycle structure costs of the bridge deck (preventative maintenance). .

3.2 Repair Materials Selection

3.2.1 Sealant Properties Properties of sealants that have been found critical to long term performance of the sealant material include: Durability: The ability of the sealant to withstand the abrasion and damage of traffic and site weather conditions, which include exposure to moisture, ultraviolet light and ozone, along with temperature extremes and rates of temperature changes. Extensibility/Modulus: Extensibility is the ability of the sealant to deform without rupturing and it is related to the strain component of elastic modulus. Elasticity/Resilience: Elasticity and resilience are measures of the amount of deformation that is recoverable, i.e., the ability of the sealant to return to its original size and shape after it has been stretched or compressed.

 Adhesiveness: Adhesiveness is the ability of the sealant to adhere to joint faces. It is essential to the performance of liquid sealants, but does not apply to performance of compression seals. Cohesiveness: The ability of the sealant material to hold together and resist internal rupture or tearing. 3.2.2 Selected Materials The selected sealing materials for Klamath River Bridge deck is Class 3 Penetrating Sealer High Molecular Weight Methacrylate.

The material used shall be a low viscosity, non-fuming and high molecular weight methacrylate resin in accordance with the following:

Cracking in concrete bridge decks is widely regarded as a long-term durability and maintenance problem that requires attention. These cracks propagate through the deck allowing rapid ingress of moisture and chloride ions into concrete interior leading to excessive deterioration due to rebar corrosion. In California, High Molecular Weight Methacrylate (HMWM) has been frequently used as crack sealer with millions of dollars spent annually on work involving Methacrylate applications on state owned bridges. A wide range of application temperature was reported in the literature. However, a range of application temperature between 7oC (45oF) and 29oC (85oF) is recommended. For new decks, it is recommended that HMWM be applied 3-6 months after construction to make sure that chloride concentration does not reach the corrosion threshold value. For old decks careful attention should be paid to the preparation method and the cleanness of both deck surface and cracks. It is recommended that HMWM sealer be applied every 45 years or as recommended by the bridge inspection team. For areas not subjected to deicing chemicals/chloride-laden environment, the use of HMWM as crack sealers can help restore the structural bond strength and the flexural strength, only if cracks are narrow and contaminants free.

3.3 Surface Preparation

Have the deck cleaned by washing, power sweeping and whatever method the contractor chooses to remove all dirt, sand, clay and other debris from the deck. Caltrans Best Practice is to clean the deck one week in advance of sealer application, thereby reducing the need for further cleaning as a result of tracked on dirt and contaminants. To meet environmental constraints, schedule the

deck washing program in conjunction with the deck sealing program. Shot blasting and or sandblasting are not required. Before the sealer is applied, the deck must be allowed to dry and this may take 1 to 3 days depending upon weather conditions, air temperature, sunshine, last rainfall, type of concrete surface, porosity of the concrete and relative humidity in the air. In order to obtain maximum waterproofing in the concrete, the deck has to be very dry before application of sealer. Check for compatibility of the products on previously sealed concrete surfaces.

4 Repair or reconstruction
The Klamath River Bridge is 80 years old- well beyond its service and functional life. After the most recent emergency deck repair and surfacing, the structure has been the subject of numerous high cost maintenance. Continued deterioration of the diaphragm elements near columns and the piers has been noted in the yearly inspections. It has been observed that the spans are sagging. The piers are experiencing scour which compromises the stability of the structure. The deterioration in some locations have recently become severe, prompting load restrictions and timely repairs. It is suggested that the Klamath River should be replaced by a new construction bridge based on the following consideration:

4.1 Structural Needs

As a precaution against further deterioration, the structure's load rating was downgraded in 2008. This designation does not allow for any extra-legal (permit) loads, but the bridge remains open to legally loaded trucks. Traffic Data showed the capacity of the road is being limited gradually.

Present ADT (2009): 990 20 Year DHV (2032):1016 20 Year TI: 8.5

Construction Year ADT (2015): 996 % Trucks; 11% Directional Split: 50%

4.2 Performance Measurements

For a National Highway System bridge, three metrics were used to measure its performance: the average sufficiency rating, the average health index, and the percentage of NHS bridges with condition ratings of 5 ("fair") or greater for deck, superstructure, and substructure. 4.2.1 Sufficiency Rating The sufficiency rating of an individual bridge on a scale of 0 to 100 is based on the structural adequacy and safety, essentiality for public use, and serviceability and functional obsolescence of the bridge. The initial Average Sufficiency Rating of National Highway System (NHS) bridges in 2006 were 82.8. 4.2.2 Health Index The health index is a measure of the structural integrity of an element of the bridge and is on a scale of 0 to 100. Each element is evaluated individually; these values are then compiled to arrive at a total bridge score. The Average Health Index of NHS bridges in 2006 was 91.1. 4.2.3 Condition Rating Condition ratings are used to describe the existing, in-place status of a component. Bridge inspectors assign condition ratings by evaluating the severity of the deterioration or disrepair and the extent to which it affects the component being rated. 4.2.4 The Klamath River Bridge Performance The current structural sufficiency rating is 47.0 and the structural health index of 58.0. These numbers indicate the structure is in poor condition. A structural sufficiency rating of 50 or less indicates the bridge should be replaced.

The Inspection Report of Klamath River Bridge (as of 11/2009): Deck condition rating: Good (7 out of 9); Superstructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9); Substructure condition rating: Satisfactory (6 out of 9); Appraisal: Structurally deficient; Sufficiency rating: 52.3 (out of 100);

5 Best Practice
Caltrans now use penetrating sealers and coatings, which offer better protection against the ingress of deicing salts.

Sealers can be evaluated based on dozens of metrics, including:

Drying time; Whether the sealer is more appropriate for indoors or outdoors; The surface finish you aim to achieve (e.g. what you want the concrete to look like When the project is complete) Sealers life expectancy; Warranty provided by the manufacturer; Whether the sealer will mesh well, chemically, with other applications and surface treatments you are thinking about using;

Whether the Volatile Organic Compound Content (VOC) in the sealer is safe and legally approved for the application;

The traffic and weather conditions that your sealer will be exposed to.

The many diverse and dynamic factors that go into the concrete sealing require exact application. If you use the wrong sealer or apply the sealer without following the instructions (even skipping just one small crucial step) you can botch your project. This might mean a costly clean up and a lot of time and effort wasted.

6 References
Strategic Highway Research Program SHRP-S-330;Condition Evaluation of Concrete Bridges Relative to Reinforcement Corrosion; Missouri Department of Transportation 2007: Bridge Deck of Concrete Sealers; California Department of Transportation 2006: Preservation Maintenance Manual; ACI Concrete Repair Manual, Third Edition;