Simplifying Bridge Expansion Joint Design and Maintenance

Project report; Aug. 2008-Oct. 2011.PDFTech ReportFHWA-SC-11-03SPR 677Expansion jointsJoints (Engineering)Structural membersBridge superstructuresBridge membersBridgesSouth CarolinaUniversity of South Carolina. Dept. of Civil & Environmental EngineeringCaicedo, Juan M.Wieger, GlenZiehl, PaulRizos, DimitrisUniversity of South Carolina. Dept. of Civil & Environmental EngineeringSouth Carolina. Dept. of Transportation. Office of Materials and ResearchUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Bridges and StructuresUS Transportation CollectionThis report presents a study focused on identifying the most durable expansion joints for the SouthCarolina Department of Transportation. This is performed by proposing a degradation model for theexpansion joints and updating it based on bridge inspections.Open expansion joints and pourable joint seal were found to be the best performing joints based onthe proposed degradation models. Assembly joints and compression joint seal have an intermediateperformance and strip seal expansion joints have the lowest performance of the type of expansionjoints studied. Assembly joints are found to be problematic because of the different moving partscomposing the joint. A significant number of bridge joint failures are caused because of incorrectinstallation, in particular, joints with complex anchor systems between the bridge deck andexpansion joint.The SCDOT standards were found to be up to date and comparable to other DOT standards in termsof the design and installation aspects of bridge joints. A recommendation is made to request awarranty for the installation of the when appropriate. Other general best practices during theinstallation of the expansion joint include: i) when possible, install joints when the ambienttemperature is the average of the range of temperatures in the area. This allows the joint to beinstalled close to the \ue2\u20ac\u153undeformed\ue2\u20ac? position of the bridge, ii) the support of the joint should beinstalled in good quality, cured concrete, iii) avoid spliced of any pre-manufactured material. Ifsplices cannot be avoided, place the splice outside the wheel path