Expansion joints of the bridge are designed to accommodate longitudinal movement and small rotation, which occur due to temperature change, shrinkage and creep of concrete, and vehicle loadings. Expansion joints along with bearings are the most easily deteriorating components of the bridge system. Replacement and repair of the deteriorated joints cause traffic delay, which in turn leads to lots of complaints from highway users. This study has been carried out to propose the expansion joints for small movement joints such as the joint over the fixed bearing. To save life cycle costs of the bridge and minimize traffic delay, the expansion joints that can be easily installed, maintained, and repaired, are required. After in-depth review of various old and new expansion joints, the new expansion joint type, which utilizes elastomeric concrete and silicone sealant, was selected as the most feasible one and constructed on the in-service bridges. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E214938.
Abstract