Rheology limits for grout materials used for precast bent cap pile pockets in hot weather.

Details

• Creators:
  Kampmann, Raphael ; Roddenberry, Michelle D. ; Oertker, Stefan ; Ebbing, Christoph
• Corporate Creators:
  FAMU-FSU College of Engineering (Tallahassee, Fla.). Department of Civil Engineering ; Florida State University. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Corporate Contributors:
  Florida. Department of Transportation
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Bents
  • Pile caps
  • Grouting
  • Rheology
  • Prefabricated bridges
  • Hot weather construction
  • Rheology Limits
  • Grout, pile head-to-bent cap
  • pile-pocket
  • ABC connection
  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  BDV30 TWO 977-16
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Florida
• Corporate Publisher:
  Florida Department of Transportation
• Abstract:
  While prefabricated bridge elements and systems (PBES) have been used for many years in Florida, The Florida Department ; of Transportation (FDOT) is currently developing local specifications for PBES to ad- dress the Federal Highway ; Administration (FHWA) Every Day Count (EDC) initiative. The construction on the first designated PBES project in Florida ; started in 2013 on the US90 between Tallahassee and Quincy. Individual pre-fabricated elements were pieced together and – ; if needed – grouted to complete the connection details. During the pilot project, grout material was wasted due to the ; restrictive temperature range and flow rate limitations, specified by the grout manufacturer, or due to inadequate sealing of ; the connection point. This research aimed to evaluate grouted pile pocket connections to assist the standardization pro- cess. ; Information was gathered through simulating different flow spaces (grout gaps) as well as varying grout consistencies and ; temperatures, while documenting the flow, final air voids, the temperature development during the hardening process, and ; final grout strength. For acceptance testing, contractors generally model the structural elements from plywood. Therefore, ; the pile head for the mockup specimens was made from plywood as well. However, to allow for grout flow observations, the ; pile pocket was constructed from acrylic glass. PVC pipes were installed on top of the pile-pocket model to aid the filling ; and ventilation process, simulating ducts used in field construction. Throughout the research, it was determined that the fresh ; grout temperature, the viscosity of the material and the thickness of the gap between the pile head and the bent cap does not ; significantly affect the quality of the grout flow and fillability. However, it was found that a tapered roof (7%) inside the pile ; pocket promotes proper ventilation for the displaced air and helps to avoid air entrapment above the pile head corners. ; Additionally, it was noted that the current construction tolerances may lead to critical hydration temperatures for massive ; (high volume-to-surface ratio) grout volumes under hot weather conditions. The research suggests more rigorous ; construction tolerances to achieve a desired maximum gap size opening of less than 4 in. (100 mm).
  More +
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  037124
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/31952/dot_31952_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.55 MB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:4e976234769c2790b7892ae633d7a934bedebadfab9d32a009c6a6001e89fe89