Maintenance Painting of Various Bridge Projects During 2001-2002: Kentucky Highway Investigative Task 42

The Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) at the University of Kentucky has performed a series of research studies for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to monitor various experimental bridge painting projects and conduct investigative work focusing on new paint systems. The research study addressed in this report “Maintenance Painting of Various Bridge Projects During 2001-2002” Kentucky Highways Investigative Task No: 42 were intended to address experimental projects in fiscal years 2001 and 2002. KTC and KYTC Project Design Team’s joint efforts in 2000 into early 2001 centered on the preparation of experimental bridge maintenance painting special notes, preliminary field testing/development of new experimental paint systems and testing of proprietary and KYTC standard specification coatings. The laboratory tests identified candidate coatings systems that were subsequently used in the KYTC experimental bridge maintenance painting projects conducted under this study. Developmental work focused on total removal and some overcoating systems. The objectives of experimental project monitoring were to: assess the condition of existing paint systems on bridges prior to maintenance painting, monitor the project throughout completion, note problems, describe problem resolution, appraise the condition of the final product, and report observations and/or conclusions about the project. This report will begin with a summary of the coatings testing work undertaken by KTC researchers and the KYTC Project Design Team. The experimental bridge maintenance painting monitoring work is presented for each bridge in the appendices. The overall results/findings of this research study are contained in the “Conclusions” section of this report