Polymer Concrete Joints for Precast Bridge Elements. Polymer Concrete for Bridge Deck Closure Joints in Accelerated Bridge Construction

For joints between precast elements on Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) projects, Polymer Concrete (PC) has a great advantage of cost saving over Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC). PC can also be mixed without needing specialized equipment and uses non-proprietary products in its mix designs, which are easier to source than the products used in UHPC mix designs. The primary objective of the project is to develop and test joint designs with PC and develop a mix design that can be used by the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). The overall objective of this project is to equip MNDOT with the science and tools towards implementing a polymer concrete alternative solution for field joints of precast bridge members for accelerated construction. The polymer concrete alternative is to be comparable to what the NMDOT has recently implemented using ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) solutions. The NMDOT will leverage several years of research at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) in the area of polymer concrete and non-proprietary UHPC mix development and applications for accelerated bridge construction (ABC). UNR hosts world-class structural and large-scale testing facilities, as well as the materials laboratories under the Western Regional Superpave Center, to conduct a comprehensive experimental program that support the implementation tools that NMDOT requires.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $263,005.00
• Contract Numbers:

  R923050

  C06415

• Sponsor Organizations:

  New Mexico Department of Transportation

  1120 Cerrillos Road
  P.O. Box 1149
  Sante Fe, NM  United States  87504-1149

  University of Nevada, Reno

  College of Engineering
  Reno, NV  United States  89557
• Project Managers:

  Henderson, Tesha

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Nevada, Reno

  College of Engineering
  Reno, NV  United States  89557
• Principal Investigators:

  Moustafa, Mohamed

• Start Date: 20230426
• Expected Completion Date: 20251226
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accelerated bridge construction; Bridge decks; Construction joints; Mix design; Polymer concrete
• Identifier Terms: New Mexico Department of Transportation
• Geographic Terms: New Mexico
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01962502
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: New Mexico Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: R923050, C06415
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 5 2025 12:51PM