Experimental study on properties of epoxy binder and epoxy bonding chips layer for steel bridge deck pavement

Abstract

The waterproof-adhesive layer (WAL) plays a critical waterproof role for steel bridge deck since the steel is prone to corrosion. It also plays a critical adhesive role, which ensures the coordinated deformation of steel bridge deck and pavement on it. The adhesion between epoxy binder and steel, and the workability, tensile shear strength, deformability, durability of epoxy binder were tested in laboratory. The adhesion between binders for WALs and steel was explained based on the surface free energy theory. Further, three different WALs were studied on their adhesion to steel with direct shear strength tests. It is found that the epoxy binder exhibited good shear strength, deformability, durability. Furthermore, the interface adhesion work between epoxy binder and steel was found largest among binders and the shear strength between the epoxy bonding chips layer (EBCL) and steel found largest. It concludes that the EBCL is an appropriate WAL for steel bridges.

KEYWORDS:

• Steel bridge deck pavement
• epoxy binder
• epoxy bonding chips layer
• mechanical properties
• durability
• surface free energy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2572017CY04 and DUT20JC50), National Natural Science Foundation of China (51508137, 51578200) and Heilongjiang Provincial Postdoctoral Science Foundation to Pursue Scientific Research (LBH-Z17003), and Science and Technology Project of Heilongjiang Transportation Department.