Repair of Concrete Bridge Deck Expansion Joints Using Elastomeric Concrete

The deterioration and failure of bridge deck expansion joints is an ever-growing concern among bridge researchers and designers alike. Deterioration of bridge deck expansion joints can lead to the decay of the structure beneath it, and dangerous debris can materialize in the roadway. Although repair methods vary throughout the United States, guidelines for the repair of bridge deck expansion joints do not currently exist. The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary data for the behavior of bridge deck expansion joints repaired with elastomeric concrete. The experimental study included 30 test specimens simulating the failure and repair of existing bridge deck expansion joints. The blockouts used various configurations filled with elastomeric concrete to determine the capacity of the repairs under a combination of simulated wheel and braking loads. The results showed the capacity of the repair to be more dependent on the depth of the blockouts rather than the longitudinal dimension in the direction of the roadway, while further investigation also showed a correlation with the aspect ratio of the blockouts.