Bridge Protection
- Field applicable, high fluoropolymer over-coating features enhanced “FEVE” performance to block UV penetration from affecting existing structural coatings
- FLUOROSEAL® cures ambiently and is brush or spray applicable with strong adhesion to existing structural epoxy or polyurethane coatings
- VOC-free and features abrasion resistant fluoropolymers for direct vehicle and foot traffic
- 36 percent of U.S. bridges — nearly 224,000 spans — need repair work.
- More than 43,500 bridges are rated in poor condition and classified as “structurally deficient,” despite motorists crossing these structures 167.5 million times a day.
- The number of structurally deficient bridges has declined by 1,445 compared to 2020. At this current pace, it would take nearly 30 years to repair them all.
These bridges are rated based on the amount of corrosion measured, along with other factors. For example, some of the bridges with obvious excessive corrosion are rated in poor condition in the GAO report:
Non-destructive evaluation methods are becoming more commonplace. These can include the use of infrared thermography, ground-penetrating radar, and remotely operated surveillance devices like flying and submersible drones are being utilized to assess bridge conditions and facilitate safer, more efficient engineering decisions. Engineers are also designing sensors that can be embedded into new and existing structures to provide continuous feedback on structural conditions.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials now requires new bridges to be designed with a 75-year service life, as opposed to the previous 50 year lifespan. This means bridges are being built to last longer. Engineers are now using materials such as ultra-high-performance concrete, corrosion-resistant reinforcement, high-performance steel and composites, and improved coatings to increase resilience and add durability.
However, when it comes to bridges that are rated in poor to very poor condition based on physical inspections, the ability to predict a potential collapse may not be adequate.
Before the collapse of the 2007 Mississippi River Bridge collapse, while there are obvious signs of corrosion around the supporting steel structures, the extent of this damage is not excessive and may have been rated in fair condition. Yet, it collapsed suddenly, causing many casualties.
The pace of current repairs and refurbishment of bridges rated in poor and very poor condition is much too slow. A less costly and time-consuming processes for repairing these heavily corroded bridges should be worth consideration. For example:
- Brush and clean the corroded areas of flaking paints and rust.
- Directly over-coat the areas with FLUOROSEAL® to not only block moisture and water ingress, but along with defense against UV penetration to further protect the existing structural coating.
- This same improved over-coating can also be applied to areas without rusts to protect bridges that are more prone to degradation.
- FLUOROSEAL® coating is proven to block UV rays, moisture and water, salt-fog spray, and corrosive gases from penetration at 50-micron thickness, extending the maintenance-free service life to over 30 years after application.
Unique FLUOROSEAL® Coatings for Field Brush or Spray Applications
Almost all high fluoropolymer coatings are only available for factory coating and curing. Novel FLUOROSEAL® coatings have a higher percentage of fluorination than normal PVDF and FEVE coatings and cure ambiently to an abrasion resistant hard coating. They are engineered for use as protection for existing coatings, as well as a direct coating for steels, metals, ceramics, and concrete with a proven fluoropolymer molecular structure that seals against UV, moisture and water, and salt-spray fog, as well as H2S, SO2 and other acidic, corrosive gases.
FLUOROSEAL® can be used to protect bridges that have been rusted to poor and very poor conditions, as well as extend the maintenance cycle for bridges that are rated in fair to good condition. That's because FLUOROSEAL® coatings offer these unique protection capabilities:
- Outstanding adhesion to epoxy and polyurethane protective structural coatings. Also available in pigmented versions to give structures a fresh, new look.
- Outstanding adhesion to cleaned metals with or without an original primer coating. That is, it can be brush or spray coated on rusted areas that have been prepared by getting rid of rust, flaking paint, and other debris.
- For those bridges and structures that do not have visible rust and degradation, other than UV discoloration, FLUOROSEAL® coatings can be applied as a transparent, thin coating (25-50 microns thick) to extend maintenance periods by 30-50 years.
- High fluorination FLUOROSEAL® coatings have been proven effective for horizontal and vertical UV blocking and resistance.
- This high fluorination formula with molecular packing structure is proven to block moisture and corrosive gases from penetrating, providing unparalleled protection for existing structural epoxy and/or polyurethane coatings against water immersion, salt-spray and salt-fog for bridges over the sea, and acid rains in industrial environments.
- With major polymer glass transition (Tg) at below -45°C and high temperature stability of fluorinated polymers, FLUOROSEAL® coatings provide long-term protection from tropical to polar climates.
- FLUOROSEAL® coatings are tough and abrasion resistance for direct foot and vehicle traffic, either as over-coating or direct coating .
- FLUOROSEAL® coatings for bridges and structural applications are VOC-free and can be used anywhere in the world.
