U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
| REPORT |
| This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information |
|
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| Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-16-007 Date: January 2016 |
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-16-007 Date: January 2016 |
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Cluster Bridge Testing |
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1. |
Data Collected |
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|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | None. This protocol provides a list of all the standard tests to be conducted on bridges designated as cluster bridges. | |
2. |
Onsite Equipment and Personnel Requirements |
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| 2.1 | Equipment: None. | |
| 2.2 | Personnel: None. | |
3. |
Methodology |
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| 3.1 | Conduct the following visual inspection tests and procedures on cluster bridges, unless otherwise directed by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA): | |
| 3.1.1 | FLD-DC-VIS-001, Steel Superstructure Deterioration. | |
| 3.1.2 | FLD-DC-VIS-002, Steel Superstructure—Corrosion. | |
| 3.1.3 | FLD-DC-VIS-003, Steel Superstructure—Section Loss. | |
| 3.1.4 | FLD-DC-VIS-004, Steel Superstructure—Cracking, Deflection, Uplift, Distortion, Buckling, Rotation, and Impact Damage. | |
| 3.1.5 | FLD-DC-VIC-001, Concrete Deterioration. | |
| 3.1.6 | FLD-DC-VIC-002, Concrete Substructure Condition Assessment. | |
| 3.1.7 | FLD-DC-VIC-003, Concrete Deck—Spalls and Delamination. | |
| 3.1.8 | FLD-DC-VIC-004, Concrete Superstructure and Substructure—Spalls and Delamination. | |
| 3.1.9 | FLD-DC-VIC-005, Concrete—Cracking. | |
| 3.1.10 | FLD-DC-VIC-006, Concrete—Abrasion. | |
| 3.1.11 | FLD-DC-VIC-007, Concrete—Sulfate Attack. | |
| 3.1.12 | FLD-DC-VIB-001, Elastomeric Bearings. | |
| 3.1.13 | FLD-DC-VIB-002, Rocker Bearings. | |
| 3.1.14 | FLD-DC-VIJ-001, Drainage System on Bridge Decks and Approach Slabs. | |
| 3.1.15 | FLD-DC-VIJ-002, Expansion Joints. | |
| 3.2 | Conduct the following manual and/or automated nondestructive evaluation (NDE) tests on cluster bridges, unless otherwise directed by FHWA: | |
| 3.2.1 | FLD-DC-NDE-001, Electrical Resistivity Testing. | |
| 3.2.2 | FLD-DC-NDE-002, Ground Penetrating Radar Testing for Bridge Decks. | |
| 3.2.3 | FLD-DC-NDE-004, Impact Echo Testing. | |
| 3.3 | FLD-DC-MS-001, Wet Coring of Concrete Decks. Obtain one 2.5-inch diameter core in each lane and in each shoulder on the untreated bridge decks of cluster bridges from one span of the bridge deck in the following locations, unless otherwise directed by FHWA: | |
| 3.3.1 | The results of the deck visual inspection and NDE testing (if available) should be considered in the location of cores. Cores should be taken from sound concrete that is determined to be free of cracks, delaminations, and spalls. | |
| 3.3.2 | Transverse location of cores should be: | |
| 3.3.2.1 | Shoulders – between 2 and 4 feet from the face of the curb or parapet or from the edge of the deck if there is no curb or parapet. | |
| 3.3.2.2 | Travel lanes – between the wheel paths. | |
| 3.3.3 | The location of cores should be spaced longitudinally in order to cover different sections of the span selected for coring. | |
| 3.4 | Conduct the material and physical sampling procedures and tests in FLD-DC-MS-003, Resistance of Concrete to Chloride Ion Penetration (Permeability), on the cores obtained under section 3.3. | |
| 3.5 | Cluster bridges will not typically be instrumented or monitored during the term of the LTBP Program. | |
| 3.6 | Conduct other/optional tests, where applicable and as specified by the owner agency and/or FHWA. | |
4. |
Data Collection Table |
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| 4.1 | None. | |
5. |
Criteria for Data Validation |
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| 5.1 | None. | |
6. |
Commentary/Background |
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| 6.1 | This protocol provides guidance for developing a plan for evaluating and testing cluster bridges. | |
| 6.1.1 | A “cluster bridge” is a bridge that is one of a designated subset of the bridges within a specific type that meet a predefined set of NBI data (e.g., age range, design load, simple/continuous span type, maximum span length, etc.). The designated subset of bridges may be entirely within the boundaries of a certain State or may be situated along a multi-State corridor. Unless otherwise directed by FHWA, cores will be taken for the purpose of permeability testing only during the initial round of material testing. Permeability of the mature concrete is not expected to vary significantly with age. | |
| 6.2 | Additional tests may be added for a particular cluster bridge. Given that each bridge is different, a specific test plan may be developed for a specific cluster bridge. | |
7. |
References |
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| 7.1 | LTBP Protocols: | |
| 7.1.1 | FLD-DC-VIS-001, Steel Superstructure Deterioration. | |
| 7.1.2 | FLD-DC-VIS-002, Steel Superstructure—Corrosion. | |
| 7.1.3 | FLD-DC-VIS-003, Steel Superstructure—Section Loss. | |
| 7.1.4 | FLD-DC-VIS-004, Steel Superstructure—Cracking, Deflection, Uplift, Distortion, Buckling, Rotation, and Impact Damage. | |
| 7.1.5 | FLD-DC-VIC-001, Concrete Deterioration. | |
| 7.1.6 | FLD-DC-VIC-002, Concrete Substructure Condition Assessment. | |
| 7.1.7 | FLD-DC-VIC-003, Concrete Deck—Spalls and Delamination. | |
| 7.1.8 | FLD-DC-VIC-004, Concrete Superstructure and Substructure—Spalls and Delamination. | |
| 7.1.9 | FLD-DC-VIC-005, Concrete—Cracking. | |
| 7.1.10 | FLD-DC-VIC-006, Concrete—Abrasion. | |
| 7.1.11 | FLD-DC-VIC-007, Concrete—Sulfate Attack. | |
| 7.1.12 | FLD-DC-VIB-001, Elastomeric Bearings. | |
| 7.1.13 | FLD-DC-VIB-002, Rocker Bearings. | |
| 7.1.14 | FLD-DC-VIJ-001, Drainage System on Bridge Decks and Approach Slabs. | |
| 7.1.15 | FLD-DC-VIJ-002, Expansion Joints. | |
| 7.1.16 | FLD-DC-NDE-001, Electrical Resistivity Testing. | |
| 7.1.17 | FLD-DC-NDE-002, Ground Penetrating Radar Testing for Bridge Decks. | |
| 7.1.18 | FLD-DC-NDE-004, Impact Echo Testing. | |
| 7.1.19 | FLD-DC-MS-001, Wet Coring of Concrete Decks. | |
| 7.1.20 | FLD-DC-MS-003, Resistance of Concrete to Chloride Ion Penetration (Permeability). | |
| 7.2 | External: None. | |
