Experimental investigation of bridge deck with textured epoxy-coated rebars subjected to thermal loading

Perez Claros, Ernesto Alfredo

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/113099 Copy

Description

Title

Experimental investigation of bridge deck with textured epoxy-coated rebars subjected to thermal loading

Author(s)

Perez Claros, Ernesto Alfredo

Issue Date

2021-07-23

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Andrawes, Bassem

Department of Study

Civil & Environmental Eng

Discipline

Civil Engineering

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• Epoxy coating
• Textured epoxy-coated bars
• Bridge deck
• Thermal loading
• Bond-slip
• Pull-out test
• Surface roughness
• Concrete cracking

Abstract

The deterioration of bridge decks is a problem typically associated with the corrosion of the reinforcing steel. This issue was partially controlled during the 1970s with the incorporation of the epoxy-coating protection system. However, research later demonstrated that the smooth surface resulting from the epoxy-coating application reduces most of the friction between the rebar and the surrounding concrete. Consequently, forces acting on the rib faces are reconfigured in such a way that the radial components increase, triggering the early development of cracks. To mitigate both the reduction of bonding and the formation of cracks, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) developed a new type of coated bars, called textured epoxy-coated (TEC) bars. Over the last few years, different projects have been executed to understand and improve TEC bars characteristics. This thesis is a continuation of the research performed at the University of Illinois to understand better the bond behavior of TEC rebars with concrete. The experimental program presented herein focuses on studying the impact of temperature changes on the behavior of two large-scale bridge deck specimens reinforced with TEC and standard epoxy-coated (EC) bars. The results collected from both specimens using digital image correlation and strain gauges are compared to explore the differences exhibited by the traditional and the new type of reinforcement coatings in terms of the tensile stress distribution in bridge decks. Furthermore, pull-out tests are carried out on the TEC rebars, and their roughness parameters are determined to contrast the results with the database reported in the literature. Finally, given the specialized equipment and time-consuming procedure needed to calculate the roughness parameters of TEC bars, an empirical, weight-based approach is developed as a rapid method for assessing the bars' roughness on site.

Graduation Semester

2021-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/113099

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2021 Ernesto Perez Claros

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