Service life prediction of protective systems for concrete bridge decks in Alberta

Reliable life cycle calculations for bridge maintenance managemen depends upon having reasonable alternative choices for deck repai replacement, accurate costs for those alternative choices, and accurate service life predictions for each of the alternate choic The objective of this study was to develop a series of tools, bas existing performance condition surveys, that can be used to bette establish the expected and remaining service life of protective systems during life cycle evaluations. The study has identified deterioration mechanisms which affect service life: 1) delaminati the concrete deck resulting from corrosion of reinforcement and 2 debonding of a concrete overlay. These deterioration mechanisms described, influencing factors discussed and various definitions presented. The study develops a relationship between the extent early corrosion induced deterioration and area of deck that is actively corroding, as measured by half cell potentials. A time relationship for the areaof deck that is actively corroding is th presented, which permits the user to establish service life. The study also presents an evaluation of expected time to develop ove debonding based on various types of bridge structures. (A)