Structural Assessment of Bridges with Premature Concrete Deterioration due to Expansive Reactions

From 1998 to 2003, a comprehensive investigation was conducted on the structural performance of in-service bridges with premature concrete deterioration in Texas. The investigation comprised five principal tasks: 1) field studies; 2) development of a simple damage index (DI); 3) laboratory tests on damaged girders; 4) laboratory studies on cores from damaged girders; and 5) nondestructive evaluation of field and laboratory, specimens. In this paper each facet of the investigation is reviewed, principal results from each facet are summarized, and their overall significance is assessed. Premature concrete damage was found to reduce the static capacity and fatigue life of the affected bridges, but generally not to a significant extent. Potentially affected bridges should be monitored, and simple damage indexes should be used to predict their probable remaining service life.