Infrastructure rehabilitation is a major political issue in the USA, where estimates suggest that more than 70,000 bridges are now structurally obsolete.
This priority was anticipated by the FHWA, which has carried out tests for many years to identify the most permanent, highly durable and flexible solutions for use in rehabilitation projects whose urgency reflects the need to maintain mobility and traffic flow on a continuous basis.
With support and assistance from Ductal® engineers, combined with the ability of the Lafarge Group to drive innovation, the FHWA has proven through testing the capabilities of Ductal® joint fill as an effective solution.
"We have been working for more than 10 years on the development and implementation of this solution," explains Dominique Corvez, Head of Ductal® for North America.
"We conducted a significant number of trials, in partnership with the FHWA in the Lafarge and FHWA research centers, as well as on pilot project sites, in order to validate a solution that is now in place on about 100 North American bridges, including 30 which were completed in 2013 alone.
Thanks to the ongoing validation from the FHWA, many states (see map on page 13) have adopted this solution and their Departments of Transportation have contacted us with a goal to collaborate on projects built around this technology."
The Pulaski Skyway is a bridge that many will recognize instantly - as a signature backdrop to the popular television series, "The Sopranos". Named after General Casimir Pulaski, a War of Independence hero and "Father of the American Cavalry", this four-lane highway bridge is one of the major links between Jersey City and Newark, New Jersey.