AN OVERVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT METHOD FOR BRIDGE EXPANSION JOINTS

Bridge expansion joints are important construction parts for the connection of individual bridge decks to ensure smooth and safe vehicle passage that is highly related to the riding quality to road users and noise impact to the environment. Different types of expansion joints have different engineering properties and should be carefully selected for installation. A brief review on five common types of expansion joints is given. The joint performance during service period is affected by numerous external factors. Conventional methods for assessment may involve subjective judgments. Five types of scientific measurements are proposed for the actual performance assessment of the expansion joints. With the collected information, it is hoped that a timely repair work schedule can be formulated so as to minimize all kinds of impacts to the society due to expansion joint failures.