In 2012, the AASHTO SCOM Bridge Technical Working Group submitted a research problem statement titled “Identifying and Assessing Failures of Small Movement Expansion Joints”. This problem statement was selected for an NCHRP project, and assigned NCHRP Project Number 12-100 – “Guidelines for Maintaining Small Movement Bridge Expansion Joints”. The objective of this research is to develop proposed guidelines with commentary for evaluating and maintaining small movement bridge joints (i.e., 4″ or less) to support the decisions of bridge owners. The proposed guidelines with commentary should cover as a minimum: (1) joint failure mechanisms; (2) performance metrics (e.g., service life and life cycle costs (LCC)) to select the best performing joints considering bridge geometry, environmental loading, and other factors; and (3) procedures for maintenance, repair, and replacement of bridge joints. The proposed guidelines will be presented in a format suitable for AASHTO consideration.
The Research Agency is the University of Delaware. The TRB website has a project description which may be accessed at:
http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3651
The research team is conducting a survey of stakeholders who are involved in the design, construction, inspection, maintenance, repair, or manufacture of small movement bridge expansion joints. Members of the Bridge Technical Working Group, particularly the practicing bridge maintenance engineers, may be able to provide information on those aspects of the project the research team is interested in exploring.
The survey, which is being distributed by Professor Tripp Shenton of the University of Delaware, may be accessed at: NCHRP 12-100 Stakeholder Survey.
This project will provide bridge maintenance practitioners with valuable information concerning bridge deck joint maintenance.
