Web-Exclusive Better Bridges coverage

by John M. Simpson, P.E., Transpo Industries

A successful slurry overlay project is the talk of Davidson County, Tennessee.

The Chickasaw Bridge, spanning the Ellington Parkway, was slated for four-day rehabilitation by contractor Jamieson Construction.

The bridge (named for a Native American tribe) required frequent patching. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TnDOT) selected a polysulfide epoxy resin-based system for rehabilitating the aging surface.

The T-48 resists the effects of UV degradation, while the unique slurry application method allows for easy installation with minimum traffic disruption, Transpo maintains. The 3/8- inch-thick waterproof overlay adds minimal dead load to the structure (3 to 4 lbs/ sq ft), while the broadcast aggregate surface will maintain high skid resistance. With the reduction of permeability, there will be less rust and spalling.

With one lane of traffic open to the public, Jamieson Construction planned this bridge preservation project to take four days to complete. However, it was completed in just 12 hours.

Work began at dawn… and as dusk approached… the contractor decided that the project might be finished in a few more hours. Temporary lights were rented and work continued. The additional cost of the light rental was small compared to the savings realized in reduced labor and traffic control

The Chickasaw Bridge in Tennessee was finished in one day instead of the planned four days.

Project at-a-glance:

Material: Transpo’s T-48 Slurry

Location: Chickasaw Bridge, TN

Contract: Project #19960-4216-04

Size: 26,000 Square Feet

Application Time: 12 Hours

Owner: Tennessee DOT