ACI 345.1R-06

Bridges represent a substantial investment of public funds, and are expected to provide satisfactory performance and remain in service for many years. Design specifications typically require 75- or 100-year design life for new bridges. Neglecting or delaying bridge maintenance can result in reduced service life and increased costs due to repair, rehabilitation, or replacement at an early age. Another consequence of neglecting maintenance is that the condition of the bridge can become life-threatening to the public. It is believed that continuous and systematic maintenance of a bridge will extend its service life and reduce its overall operating cost.This document addresses typical problems and presents potentially cost-effective maintenance techniques for concrete bridge elements. It provides guidance for engineers and maintenance staff. It does not cover repair,rehabilitation, reconstruction, or bridge inspection, and therefore, it does not include topics such as cathodic protection, repair with shotcrete, and deck overlays. Detailed methods of repairing and inspecting bridges may be found in the references.Concrete bridge maintenance is defined as those activities that are relatively inexpensive and repeatable, performed when the concrete element is still in good to fair condition, intended to prevent or minimize deterioration of the concrete. These activities may include sealing, washing, caulking, crack repair, and other minor repairs intended to prolong the functionality of the bridge element.