Development of Rapid, Cement-Based Repair Materials for Transportation Structures

The state of Texas has been plagued by various durability-related issues in recent years, including deterioration from alkali-silica reaction, delayed ettringite formation, corrosion of reinforcing steel, volume changes (plastic shrinkage, drying shrinkage, thermal effects, etc.), and spalling of continuously reinforced concrete pavements. These durability-related issues, coupled with other factors that contribute to reductions in service life (e.g., service loads and defects), have resulted in the need to repair concrete structures and to do so in a timely, efficient fashion, with minimal disruption to the traveling public. Thus, the need for rapid, cement-based repair materials has emerged, especially in highly congested urban areas. The focus of this project was to evaluate a range of repair materials across a range of properties (fresh, hardened, and durability) that affect the performance of horizontal repairs, such as on pavements and bridge decks.