Principal Investigator(s):
Arturo Schultz, Former Professor, Civil, Environmental and Geo-Engineering
Co-Investigators:
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Cathy French, Professor, Civil, Environmental and Geo-Engineering
Project summary:
The State of Minnesota has used, to a limited extent, crack and concrete sealants as a preventative measure to reduce the likelihood of reinforcement corrosion and thereby increase the life of reinforced concrete bridge decks. As the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) prepared to expand the usage of sealants as a preventative measure to reduce deterioration of concrete bridge decks, a state-of-the-art report was needed for guidance. The purpose of this project was to develop such a report, documenting previous investigations on the effectiveness of the current products used by the State including silane, siloxane, methyl-methacrylates, epoxies and urethanes. Based on the information collected from the literature review and the survey, the best sealant materials and application practices are recommended for use in Minnesota and throughout the Midwest. The report consists of four sections including: 1) a synthesis of the literature review on the background, application, and performance of concrete deck sealants and crack sealers; 2) a summary of the survey conducted by Mn/DOT to determine the current selection criteria, materials, application practices, and findings from different states in United States; 3) an assessment of selection criteria, materials, application practices, and performance; and 4) conclusions, recommendations, and areas in need of further research.