Webinar on Road Slope and Bridge Repair

REPAIR OF STEEL
BRIDGE
SUPERSTRUCTURE
COURSE OUTLINE

I. Repainting
II. Steel Plate Adding
III. Carbon Fiber Plate Bonding to Steel
IV. Tightening/Retightening of Tension Bolt
V. Special Anti-Corrosion Paint

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 Repair of Steel Bridge Superstructure

I. REPAINTING

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REPAINTING

❑ Repainting is the only effective restoration method for steel

structures.

❑ If done properly, the service life of steel bridges could be

expected to exceed fifty (50) years

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 REPAINTING

TYPE OF REPAINTING

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 REPAINTING

Preparation Grades of the Surface of Corroded Steel Plate

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 REPAINTING

Preparation Grades of the Surface of Corroded Steel Plate

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 REPAINTING
WORK SEQUENCE

1. Scaffolding 2. Preparation of Steel 3. Filling Voids

Surfaces

4. Painting 5. Checking of Paint 6. Historical Record

Thickness Marking

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 REPAINTING

REQUIRED MATERIALS
❑ Epoxy Zinc-Rich Primer
❑ Modified Epoxy Polyimide Paint
❑ Polyurethane Paint
❑ Thinner

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT/TOOLS
❑ High-Pressure Water Jet Spray
❑ Water Tank
❑ Generator
❑ Disc Grinder
❑ Sand Blast Machine
❑ Air Compressor
❑ Wire Brush and Scraper
❑ Paint Roller and Paint Brush

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 Repair of Steel Bridge Superstructure

II. STEEL PLATE ADDING

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STEEL PLATE ADDING
Steel girders, especially those located near sea shores, are highly
susceptible to corrosion often leading to section loss. In order to
restore the strength lost from the section loss, steel plates/angles
are added and connected with high tension bolts.

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 STEEL PLATE BONDING

❑ In order to restore the lost strength, additional steel plates shall be

installed to the portion of existing steel, where section loss is more
than 20%. This repair method shall be further supplemented by
repainting or special anti-corrosion coating.

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 STEEL PLATE BONDING
WORK SEQUENCE

2. Surface 3. Surface
1. Scaffoldings
Preparation Treatment

5. Assembling Flat
6. Epoxy Caulking Plate and Angular 4. Holes for HTB
Plate

7. Tightening High 9. Historical Record

8. Painting
Tension Bolts Marking

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 STEEL PLATE BONDING

REQUIRED MATERIALS

❑ Flat Plate and Angular Plate

❑ High Tension Bolt (HTB)
❑ Epoxy Putty

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT/TOOLS

❑ Electric Drill
❑ Fastening Wrench

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 Repair of Steel Bridge Superstructure

III. CARBON FIBER PLATE

BONDING TO STEEL

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CARBON FIBER PLATE BONDING TO STEEL

❑ Repair method using carbon fiber plate (CFP) bonding to steel

plate provides the same function as the additional steel plates

presented in previous section. Repair method for adding steel

plates involve complicated steps such as fabrication of the steel

plates in the factory, cut and drill holes for HTB to existing bridge

plate in the field and assembling of the additional steel plate.

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 CARBON FIBER PLATE BONDING TO STEEL

❑ CFP method involves simple application of bonding to steel bridge

surface using epoxy resin adhesive.

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 CARBON FIBER PLATE BONDING TO STEEL

APPLICATION CRITERIA

❑ In order to restore the lost strength, CFP shall be installed at the

portion of existing steel where section loss is more than 20%.

❑ This repair method shall be further supplemented by repainting or

by application of anti-corrosion coating.

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 CARBON FIBER PLATE BONDING TO STEEL
WORK SEQUENCE

2. Surface 3. Adjustment of
1. Scaffoldings Preparation of Steel Unevenness with
Plate Putty

6. Squeezing of 4. Application of
5. Carbon Plate
Strip to Entrapped Epoxy Resin for
Bonding
Air Undercoat

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 CARBON FIBER PLATE BONDING TO STEEL

REQUIRED MATERIALS

❑ Epoxy Putty
❑ Carbon Fiber Plate

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT/TOOLS

❑ Electric Disc Grinder

❑ Generator
❑ Wire Brush, Scraper, etc.

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 Repair of Steel Bridge Superstructure

IV. TIGHTENING /
RETIGHTENING OF HIGH
TENSION BOLT

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TIGHTENING/RETIGHTENING OF HIGH TENSION BOLT

❑ Missing or loosened high tension bolt (HTB) connection for steel

girders are either replaced or retightened in the field during
maintenance inspection conducted.

❑ Before tightening the bolts, surface preparation of steel plate

shall be carried out by removing dust, grease and water, and
then repainted. Missing bolts, severely corroded/damaged bolts
found at top flanges shall be replaced.

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 TIGHTENING/RETIGHTENING OF HIGH TENSION BOLT

REPLACE METHOD OF HTB IN GIRDER TOP FLANGE

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 TIGHTENING/RETIGHTENING OF HIGH TENSION BOLT

APPLICATION CRITERIA

❑ This repair method is applied to for missing bolts, severely

corroded bolts and for loosened fasteners exceeding 10% of the

total number of bolt per location.

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 TIGHTENING/RETIGHTENING OF HIGH TENSION BOLT

WORK SEQUENCE

2. Surface
1. Remove HTB 3. Fastening HTB
Preparation

5. Surface 4. Quality Control of

6. Painting
Preparation HTB Fastening

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 TIGHTENING/RETIGHTENING OF HIGH TENSION BOLT

REQUIRED MATERIALS

❑ HTB (22MM or 7/8 in. diameter)

❑ Nuts
❑ Plain hardened washers

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT/TOOLS

❑ Torque wrench
❑ Electrical Impact Wrench, Special Fastener for HTB

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 Repair of Steel Bridge Superstructure

V. SPECIAL ANTI-CORROSION
PAINT

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SPECIAL ANTI-CORROSION PAINT
❑ For 24 years, special anti-corrosion paint was applied to maintain
good surface condition of bridges in Japan situated in severely
active environment, subjected to wind-borne sea water spray. It is a
well-recognized material, proven effective based on several
environment tests conducted in Japan. As an example, field tests
conducted for the Shimonoseki Fishing Park in Japan shows that
the structure remains in good condition, without requiring any major
strengthening measures. Currently, it is still subjected to actual field
examination to determine the limit of maximum durability of the
materials, without repainting.

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 SPECIAL ANTI-CORROSION PAINT

❑ As a minimum coating requirement the total special anti-corrosion

paint weight should exceed 1.0kg/m2 for two coats.

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 SPECIAL ANTI-CORROSION PAINT
WORK SEQUENCE

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 SPECIAL ANTI-CORROSION PAINT

REQUIRED MATERIALS

❑ Emulsion
❑ Compound

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT/TOOLS

❑ Hand Mixer
❑ Paint Roller and Paint Brush
❑ Wire Brush, Electric Grinder
❑ Portable Generator

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Thank You!

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