Identification and evaluation of pavement-bridge interface ride quality improvement and corrective strategies.

713286976Final report.PDFTech ReportFHWA/OH-2011/1State Job No. 134375Bridge approachesRide qualityBridge designOhioOhio. Dept. of Transportation. Office of Research and DevelopmentPhares, BrentWhite, DavidBigelow, JakeBerns, MarkZhang, JiakeIowa State UniversityNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Bridges and StructuresNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-DesignUS Transportation CollectionBridge owners have long recognized that the approach pavement at bridges is prone to exhibiting both settlement andcracking, which manifest as the \ue2\u20ac\u153bump at the end of the bridge.\ue2\u20ac? This deterioration requires considerable on-goingmaintenance expenditures, added risk to maintenance workers, increased distraction to drivers, reduced steering control,increased damage to vehicles, a negative public perception of the highway system, and a shortened useful bridge life. Thisproblem has recently begun to receive significant national attention, as bridge owners have increased the priority ofdealing with this recurring problem.No single factor, in and of itself (individually), leads to significant problems. Rather, it is an interaction between multiplefactors that typically leads to problematic conditions. As such, solutions to the problem require interdisciplinary thinkingand implementation. The bridge-abutment interface is a highly-complex region and an effective \ue2\u20ac\u153bump at the end of thebridge\ue2\u20ac? solution must address the structural, geotechnical, hydraulic, and construction engineering disciplines. Variousdesign alternatives, construction practices, and maintenance methods exist to minimize bridge approach settlement, buteach has its own drawbacks, such as cost, limited effectiveness, or inconvenience to the public.The objective of this work is to assist the Ohio Department of Transportation in the development of pre-construction,construction, and post-construction strategies that will help eliminate or minimize the \ue2\u20ac\u153bump at the end of the bridge.\ue2\u20ac?Implementation of the details and procedures described herein will provide a tangible benefit to both the Ohio Departmentof Transportation and the traveling public, in the form of smoother bridge transitions, reduced maintenance costs, and asafer driving environment.As a result of this work, several conclusions and recommendations were made. Generally, these could be grouped intothree categories: general, structural, and geotechnical. In some cases, the recommendations may require notable changes tothe Ohio Department of Transportation bridge design policy. Suggestions for such changes have been made