1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,850
(thoughtful music)

2
00:00:00,850 --> 00:00:02,841
(logo whooshes)

3
00:00:02,841 --> 00:00:06,090
(text whooshing)

4
00:00:06,090 --> 00:00:07,410
- [Narrator] Preservation of bridges

5
00:00:07,410 --> 00:00:10,920
has been a major topic in
Texas and around the nation.

6
00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:12,990
The Texas Department of Transportation

7
00:00:12,990 --> 00:00:15,150
and the Center for Transportation Research

8
00:00:15,150 --> 00:00:18,240
investigated ways to extend
the life of bridge decks,

9
00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:21,120
commonly known as the surface of a bridge,

10
00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:23,640
all while keeping the
same safety standards

11
00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:24,720
for the driving public.

12
00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:26,670
- A bridge deck performance

13
00:00:26,670 --> 00:00:31,670
is the number one costly
item in terms of maintenance,

14
00:00:32,340 --> 00:00:35,430
so therefore, anything we can do

15
00:00:35,430 --> 00:00:39,000
to improve the durability
of concrete decks,

16
00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,270
reduce the construction of concrete decks,

17
00:00:42,270 --> 00:00:45,840
is something that is going
to be a long-term benefit

18
00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:47,640
for the State of Texas, for the country,

19
00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:49,440
and certainly the taxpayers

20
00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,200
funding this research
as well as many others.

21
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,906
- All of our decks are reinforced

22
00:00:54,906 --> 00:00:59,883
with reinforcing steel
or fiber reinforced bars.

23
00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,770
And this project was essentially

24
00:01:04,770 --> 00:01:07,980
hoping to remove some of
those reinforcing bars

25
00:01:07,980 --> 00:01:11,550
and replace them with steel fibers.

26
00:01:11,550 --> 00:01:14,700
Steel fibers have been
used in other locations

27
00:01:14,700 --> 00:01:18,450
to essentially replace reinforcing steel,

28
00:01:18,450 --> 00:01:21,870
but we hadn't done that
on a TxDOT project before.

29
00:01:21,870 --> 00:01:23,610
- This research was conducted

30
00:01:23,610 --> 00:01:26,850
at Ferguson Structural
Engineering Laboratory.

31
00:01:26,850 --> 00:01:29,970
We had a number of
tests that we performed.

32
00:01:29,970 --> 00:01:32,580
So these are bridge deck strips

33
00:01:32,580 --> 00:01:35,550
that are in their actual dimensions

34
00:01:35,550 --> 00:01:39,750
in an effort to eliminate the
adverse effects of scaling,

35
00:01:39,750 --> 00:01:44,750
as well as a large test in
which we had a multi-girder

36
00:01:46,470 --> 00:01:49,980
superstructure supporting the bridge deck,

37
00:01:49,980 --> 00:01:54,630
different applications of
AASHTO loading configurations

38
00:01:54,630 --> 00:01:56,280
where the truckloads are applied,

39
00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:00,210
challenging the bridge deck
under different circumstances.

40
00:02:00,210 --> 00:02:04,560
- We're happy with the
results of the research.

41
00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,830
We're pursuing a pilot here
in the Austin District,

42
00:02:07,830 --> 00:02:12,830
a pilot to see what field conditions are

43
00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:16,770
and how fibers being
placed on a bridge deck

44
00:02:16,770 --> 00:02:20,910
would perform with Texas
contractors on a TxDOT project.

45
00:02:20,910 --> 00:02:25,860
- It is not intended to
basically stop the use

46
00:02:25,860 --> 00:02:28,320
of current bridge deck details,

47
00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,880
it is intended to put one
more tool in the toolbox

48
00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:34,920
to when there is a need

49
00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:37,710
for a better bridge deck performance,

50
00:02:37,710 --> 00:02:42,180
this may be up in the panhandle
where we use de-icing salts

51
00:02:42,180 --> 00:02:47,130
or cases in which we have
marine environment at play.

52
00:02:47,130 --> 00:02:51,180
In those cases, having
that tool in the toolbox

53
00:02:51,180 --> 00:02:54,390
will give bridge designers

54
00:02:54,390 --> 00:02:57,900
the much needed sort of array of tools

55
00:02:57,900 --> 00:03:01,020
that they can use in the bridge decks.

56
00:03:01,020 --> 00:03:04,770
- A bridge deck is like
the roof on a house,

57
00:03:04,770 --> 00:03:08,100
where it provides the primary protection,

58
00:03:08,100 --> 00:03:13,050
the first mode for
protection against chlorides,

59
00:03:13,050 --> 00:03:17,193
against contaminants, and
against deterioration.

60
00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,050
It's important to try to
preserve the bridge deck.

61
00:03:22,050 --> 00:03:26,970
So trying to find a way to
reduce that mode of deterioration

62
00:03:26,970 --> 00:03:29,490
within a bridged deck was important to us.

63
00:03:29,490 --> 00:03:31,530
- TxDOT research program

64
00:03:31,530 --> 00:03:35,760
has proven to be a great
benefit to the state

65
00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,630
and really and truly the
bridge industry in the country

66
00:03:39,630 --> 00:03:41,340
and around the world.

67
00:03:41,340 --> 00:03:45,360
The research program that
is always looking into ways

68
00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:47,643
of improving practices,

69
00:03:49,230 --> 00:03:53,010
improving structural
performance, reducing costs,

70
00:03:53,010 --> 00:03:57,510
all of those items come as
a huge benefit to the state.

71
00:03:57,510 --> 00:04:00,630
So, I particularly feel lucky

72
00:04:00,630 --> 00:04:03,450
to be involved in TxDOT's research program

73
00:04:03,450 --> 00:04:08,450
and contributing to new
findings, one piece at a time.

74
00:04:09,030 --> 00:04:10,200
- [Narrator] For more information

75
00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,630
and to find the publication
for this project,

76
00:04:12,630 --> 00:04:14,970
please visit the TxDOT Research Library

77
00:04:14,970 --> 00:04:16,170
at the link shown below.