Bridges with Premature Concrete Deterioration: Field Observations and Large-Scale Testing

This thesis describes part of the work associated with TxDOT Study 1857 (“Structural Assessment of In-Service Bridges with Premature Concrete Deterioration”). The focus of this thesis is the use of observations from in-service structures and laboratory specimens with premature concrete deterioration, along with core tests and large-scale tests of laboratory specimens, to predict the capacity of a large element with premature deterioration. The theoretical background of premature concrete deterioration, while not the focus of this thesis, is reviewed. Large-scale tests to failure were conducted on 3 flexure-dominated and 3 shear-dominated specimens. Results from those tests were compared with tested compressive strength and elastic modulus of cores removed from the specimens, and with visual damage indices. Results were also evaluated in the light of observed damage to in-service structures, obtained over two years of field observation of 5 large TxDOT structures in different parts of Texas. These comparisons are used to propose approaches for evaluating the structural integrity of in-service structures with premature concrete deterioration.