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Key Insights

Quick Facts

  • Name: U.S. 80 Bridge
  • Location: U.S. 80, Louisiana
  • Customer: Builders Supply Company
  • Client: Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development (LADOTD)
  • Size: Five bridge spans, two incorporating ICC
Challenge: LADOTD needed a durable solution for constructing the U.S. 80 bridge over the Kansas City Southern railroad tracks, aiming to reduce cracking and increase strength.
How Arcosa Helped
  • Our Solution: Arcosa supplied lightweight aggregate (LWA) for the internally cured concrete (ICC) process.
  • Why Lightweight Works: ICC provides internal moisture, reducing shrinkage and improving compressive strength.

Final Results

  • Internal curing increases concrete’s resistance to early cracking, allowing the production of higher-performance concretes that may last more than 75 years.

Key Quote

“Compared to our usual materials, ICC substantially increased concrete compressive strength. It was a real eye-opener.” – Ken Viers

Context:

  • Considerations: Successful early test projects such are why the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) says these “higher-durability concrete mixtures can last several times longer than traditional concretes”.
  • Lessons Learned: ICC provides durable, long-lasting results with minimal adjustments to traditional processes.

U.S. 80 Bridge: A Successful Early Test for ICC Bridge Decks

When the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development (LADOTD) planned to build a bridge on U.S. 80 over the Kansas City Southern railroad, they chose to incorporate internally cured concrete (ICC) to improve durability and performance. As an early successful test project, this effort demonstrated ICC’s potential to significantly enhance the lifespan of bridge decks.

ICC is a concrete mixture in which some fine aggregate is replaced with pre-wetted lightweight aggregate (LWA), providing adequate moisture from within the mixture to replace water lost due to chemical shrinkage. Known for its strength and reduced shrinkage, ICC has been used successfully on bridge decks.

Wanting to leverage these advantages, LADOTD implemented a demonstration project to test ICC’s value. In this case, the U.S. 80 bridge over the KCS railroad was constructed with portions of the structure incorporating ICC.

According to Bill Wolfe, Director of Technical Sales at Arcosa Lightweight, the company provided lightweight aggregate for the ICC process across two of the five bridge spans, each approximately 270 feet in length. The first span used 300 pounds of pre-soaked lightweight fine aggregate per cubic yard of concrete, while the second used 150 pounds.

“Even with less internal curing moisture, the process still offers high value,” says Wolfe.

Two Decks in Place

With the two ICC decks in place, LADOTD then monitored their performance compared to the three spans without ICC. That work was part of a research project conducted by the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC).

In LTRC’s final report, the authors noted: “This project showed significantly less cracking over the control about nine months after placement of the ICC sections.”

“The reduced cracking will lead to longer service life and a more durable structure.”

“The contractor noted easier finishability characteristics and that, “ICC is just like normal concrete.”

Arcosa’s customer, Builders Supply Company, Inc., was ready mix supplier for the project and serves all of Northwest and Central Louisiana.

Ken Viers, formerly of Builders Supply, today serves as a QC Representative at Ready Mix USA’s Opelika, Alabama operation. Looking back at the Louisiana Bridge project he says:

“Compared to our usual materials, ICC substantially increased concrete compressive strength. It was a real eye-opener.”

Builders Supply adapted its delivery processes to incorporate the ICC mix, with smooth execution and positive results.

Following the successful test, LTRC now suggests a standard lightweight fine aggregate replacement rate between 225 and 275 pcy for implementation.