Innovation of the Month:
Ultra-High
Performance Concrete Connections
The Every Day Counts round four
(EDC-4) innovation of the month for July is ultra-high performance concrete
(UHPC), which can be used to make prefabricated bridge element (PBE)
connections simpler, stronger, and more durable.
UHPC is a steel fiber-reinforced, portland cement-based composite
material that delivers performance far exceeding that of conventional concrete.
PBEs—structural components built offsite and moved to the project location for
installation—shorten onsite construction time, enhance safety, and offer
superior durability.
Field-cast UHPC creates connections between PBEs that use less concrete
and provide better long-term performance than typical connection designs.
UHPC’s mechanical properties allow for redesign of common connection details in
ways that promote ease and speed of construction.
With the assistance of the EDC-4 UHPC team, 14 States and the U.S. Virgin
Islands are learning more about UHPC and its applications on bridge projects.
Nineteen States, Federal Lands Highway, and Washington, DC, are demonstrating
and assessing the use of UHPC connections in bridge building. Four additional
States—Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island—have made UHPC
connections a standard practice on bridge projects with PBEs.
In May,
FHWA published an example checklist for the construction of UHPC connections for PBEs. This resource
provides items for bridge owners to consider when developing their agency’s
inspection procedures for the construction of UHPC connections.
See the
“Design and Construction of Field-Cast
UHPC Connections” technical brief for
details on constructing UHPC connections.
Plan to
attend the Second International Interactive
Symposium on UHPC on June 2 to 5, 2019,
in Albany, NY.
View an EDC-4 Innovation Spotlight video on UHPC connections
for PBEs.
Contact Ben Graybeal of the FHWA
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center or Mark Leonard of the FHWA
Resource Center for information, technical assistance, and workshops.
New Jersey Advances Electronic
Administration of Local Programs
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT)
used State Transportation Innovation Council
Incentive funds to advance the use of
mobile devices in the administration and oversight of its grant programs for
local public agencies. In the past, NJDOT staff documented field inspections
manually in 19-page paper reports. After undergoing hands-on training, staff
now use mobile devices to record field inspection findings, take photographs
for reference, and complete electronic reports. NJDOT reports that eliminating
manual data collection improves efficiency, enabling staff to redirect time and
effort to provide better oversight of local projects. NJDOT’s use of tablets
for field reviews and ratings of local grant program applications is saving an
estimated 50 percent on the time needed for paper reviews. For information,
contact Helene Roberts of the
FHWA New Jersey Division.
 See the Latest Issue of Innovator
Read the July/August issue of the Innovator newsletter to learn how the use of ultra-high performance concrete to make better connections between prefabricated bridge elements is advancing across the United States. Also, read how investing in pavement preservation programs helps agencies extend the service life of pavements, and how integrating National Environmental Policy Act and permitting processes on projects can save time and money resulting from more efficient regulatory reviews.
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Sign Up for Pavement Management Webinar
FHWA, the American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the Transportation Research Board
are cohosting a series of quarterly webinars on pavement management to provide
a forum for education and communication for pavement management practitioners.
The next webinar will be on July 19 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET and cover Chapter 6,
Part 1, Pavement Preservation Strategies and Identifying Treatment Needs of the
AASHTO Pavement Management Guide. Register
for the webinar. Watch previous webinars at FHWA’s Pavement
Management and Performance website.
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