A New Generation of APJ Design: the Cold Plug Joint

With the total number of U.S. bridges approaching 600,000 and the total considered to be substandard approaching 200,000, it is imperative that all components of a bridge work as designed. This is not the case with many bridge deck expansion joint systems. Failure of these systems has resulted in numerous deficiencies such as leaking of deleterious deck chemistry, increased stress levels within the deck system and spalling/cracking adjacent to the joints. In 1983, the Federal Highway Administration enlisted several states to conduct a study on bridge joint performance. This study clearly showed that non-functioning bridge deck joints are a major contributor to premature bridge deterioration which eventually results in the bridge being classified as substandard.