The Evaluation of High Molecular Weight Methacrylate as a Treatment Option for Shrinkage Cracks in Airfield Pavement

Air Force policy dictates that only epoxy can be used as a treatment option for shrinkage cracks in concrete airfield pavement. However, since epoxy is not ideal for shrinkage cracks, this research focuses on the evaluation of high molecular weight methacrylate (HMWM) as a treatment option. Laboratory experiments were performed on four sealants to determine whether they could penetrate a crack 24 inches deep, bond to the concrete, and resist water intrusion. Three HMWMs (TK-2415, Kwik Bond KBP 103, and Castek Transpo T-70) and one epoxy (TK-2110) were assessed. The four sealers were applied to 32 concrete specimens with crack widths varying from 0.2 mm to 1 mm. Dyed water was poured onto the surface and allowed to sit before the concrete specimens were rebroken, at which point the specimens were evaluated to determine where, if any, water penetrated the crack. The Transpo T-70 performed the best by fully penetrating a crack 0.1 mm thick; the TK-2415 penetrated a 0.2-mm crack and the Kwik Bond and TK-2110 both only penetrated a 0.6-mm crack. Beam specimens were also tested in cold weather, with similar results. The Transpo T-70 penetrated a 0.2-mm crack, the TK-2415 penetrated a 0.4-mm crack, and the Kwik Bond and TK-2110 both penetrated a 0.6-mm crack. Evaluating the ability of the sealants to bond to concrete and resist water intrusion was not accomplished because the sealants could not be contained in the specimens. Despite this, the laboratory results suggest that HMWM would be a viable option to treat shrinkage cracks in concrete airfield pavement, which is consistent with the literature