Improving Fatigue of Polymer Concrete Overlays Using Nanomaterials

Polymer concrete (PC) overlays are typically used to improve friction and to protect the structural substrate in steel orthotropic bridges and in concrete bridges. Bond and fatigue failures of PC overlays due to severe weather conditions pose an expensive maintenance challenge. In spite of its superior performance compared to normal concrete overlays, these failures limit PC's ability to resist crack growth initiation due to debonding or fatigue damage. The objective of this work is to improve the bond, fracture and fatigue performances of PC overlays using nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoparticles (GNPs) or alumina nanoparticles (ANPs). The project will compare performance of PC samples that contain these nanomaterials with the performance of samples that do not. Standard testing will be conducted on PC specimens. Fracture toughness testing and microstructural analysis of PC overlays will also be conducted. Finite element modeling will be completed. Dynamic mechanical analysis will be used to test polymer. Fatigue testing of PC overlays and PC overlays-steel composite will be completed. Implementation will produce significant improvement in the mechanical, durability, fracture and fatigue characteristics of PC.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $200000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  DTRT13-G-UTC36

  SPTC 14.1-66

• Sponsor Organizations:

  New Mexico Department of Transportation

  State Highway Department Building
  1120 Cerrillos Road
  Sante Fe, NM  United States  87504-1149

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  University Transportation Centers Program
  1200 New Jersey Avenue
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Performing Organizations:

  University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

  MSC01 1070
  Albuquerque, New Mexico  United States  87131-0001
• Principal Investigators:

  Tarefder, Rafiquel

  Taha, Mahmoud

• Start Date: 20140801
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20160731
• Source Data: RiP Project 37449

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Concrete overlays; Durability; Fatigue strength; Fatigue tests; Nanostructured materials; Pavement performance; Polymer concrete
• Candidate Terms: Nanotubes
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements; I30: Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01543098
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Southern Plains Transportation Center
• Contract Numbers: DTRT13-G-UTC36, SPTC 14.1-66
• Files: UTC, RiP
• Created Date: Nov 5 2014 1:01AM