U.S. 80 Bridge: A Successful Early Test for ICC Bridge Decks
U.S. 80 Bridge: A Successful Early Test for ICC Bridge Decks
When the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development (LADOTD) planned to build a bridge on U.S. 80 over the Kansas City Southern railroad, they chose to incorporate internally cured concrete (ICC) to improve durability and performance. As an early successful test project, this effort demonstrated ICC’s potential to significantly enhance the lifespan of bridge decks.
ICC is a concrete mixture in which some fine aggregate is replaced with pre-wetted lightweight aggregate (LWA), providing adequate moisture from within the mixture to replace water lost due to chemical shrinkage. Known for its strength and reduced shrinkage, ICC has been used successfully on bridge decks.
Wanting to leverage these advantages, LADOTD implemented a demonstration project to test ICC’s value. In this case, the U.S. 80 bridge over the KCS railroad was constructed with portions of the structure incorporating ICC.
According to Bill Wolfe, Director of Technical Sales at Arcosa Lightweight, the company provided lightweight aggregate for the ICC process across two of the five bridge spans, each approximately 270 feet in length. The first span used 300 pounds of pre-soaked lightweight fine aggregate per cubic yard of concrete, while the second used 150 pounds.
Two Decks in Place
With the two ICC decks in place, LADOTD then monitored their performance compared to the three spans without ICC. That work was part of a research project conducted by the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC).
In LTRC’s final report, the authors noted: “This project showed significantly less cracking over the control about nine months after placement of the ICC sections.”
“The reduced cracking will lead to longer service life and a more durable structure.”
“The contractor noted easier finishability characteristics and that, “ICC is just like normal concrete.”
Arcosa’s customer, Builders Supply Company, Inc., was ready mix supplier for the project and serves all of Northwest and Central Louisiana.
Ken Viers, formerly of Builders Supply, today serves as a QC Representative at Ready Mix USA’s Opelika, Alabama operation. Looking back at the Louisiana Bridge project he says:
Builders Supply adapted its delivery processes to incorporate the ICC mix, with smooth execution and positive results.
Following the successful test, LTRC now suggests a standard lightweight fine aggregate replacement rate between 225 and 275 pcy for implementation.
Additional Case Studies
Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) Bridge Deck Study: Advancing the Use of Internal Curing
Since 2016, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), along with the University of Kansas (KU) and the State of Minnesota, has been studying the use of internal curing to improve bridge deck service life. Traditional concrete bridge decks, wit…
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State DOTs See Benefits in Internally Cured Bridge Decks
Faced with the challenge of maintaining aging infrastructure while optimizing taxpayer dollars, state Departments of Transportation are turning to innovations like internally cured concrete to improve bridge deck durability. Worn surfaces not only i…
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Internal Curing Concrete Proves Its Value in Reducing Cracking and Enhancing Durability for Louisiana Bridge Projects
From an engineering perspective, Mitch Wyble, P.E., City Engineer at Lafayette Consolidated Government, really likes what he sees when he discusses the value of internally cured concrete (ICC), a concrete mixture where a portion of the fine aggregat…
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