Test Methods for Joint Fabrics Used in Precast Concrete Adjacent Member Beam Connections

About the project:

The precast concrete adjacent member beam is one bridge element that is frequently used throughout all Virginia Department of Transportation districts. However, one shortcoming in this bridge type is the joint between the adjacent members, which is prone to leaking. One option for mitigating that leakage is to install an epoxy-coated fabric mesh across the joints. However, the cost of the fabric has increased substantially over time while the material’s quality has come into question. Furthermore, some joints are wide enough to require overlapping widths of the material, particularly for the transverse joint at a pier. Greater competition in the industry could lead to the development of more cost-effective and practical solutions to these issues.

To foster that competition, criteria for accepting new products need to be established. This project will entail laboratory testing to develop those criteria for the tensile strength of the fabric material itself and the development length of the mesh bonded to either concrete or another layer of mesh. Successful implementation of the results of this study into VDOT’s Road and Bridge Specifications should lead to more options for strengthening and waterproofing the joints between precast concrete adjacent members. The established criteria will help to reduce the maintenance activities required to extend the service life of these types of bridges.

Project Team

Principal Investigators