Evaluation of effective bridge deck repair maintenance methods

As there are a large number of existing aging bridges in need of maintenance, Ohio Department of Transportation is seeking safer, better, and efficient approaches for patch-repair concrete removal on bridge decks. The current practice to remove concrete is by using pneumatic breakers, which presents a danger to operators and damages to the sound concrete and rebar. Building on an extensive literature review, this study evaluates the current method and alternative methods that can address the limitations of the current method. Based on the findings, the recommendation is to use hydrodemolition robot to remove concrete, as it is time-efficient and does not create potential harm to the bridge deck or operator. In addition, hydrodemolition leaves a coarse finish cut to allow for a more effective and long lasting bond with the repair material, which is important for patch repair. Two potential robots are identified as most suitable for bridge deck concrete removal: Conjet Jetframe 101 Nalta and Conjet Robot 327. While the advantages of Conjet Jetframe 101 Nalta are easy transportability and low capital cost, Conjet Robot 327 has a higher productivity rate and has a built in debris barrier that is safer for the crew and on-going traffic. Lastly, based on the cost analysis, for project size larger than 100 SF, Conjet Robot 327 becomes a better option.