Practices for Ensuring the Smoothness of Concrete Bridge Decks (2022)

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53   A P P E N D I X A Survey Sent to State DOTs NCHRP Synthesis Topic 52-03: “Practices for Ensuring Bridge Surface Smoothness” Dear DOT Engineer, The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is preparing a synthesis on “Practices for Ensuring Bridge Surface Smoothness”. This is being done for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), under the sponsorship of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The ride quality of bridges is important to the traveling public and is related to the smoothness of the bridge deck. The purpose of this questionnaire is to identify, document, and summarize practices for measuring the smoothness of concrete bridge surfaces when they are constructed, and for monitoring and maintaining bridge smoothness over time. The survey presents check boxes for ease of responding. If you wish to offer additional information for any question, the last question in the survey allows you to provide a write-in response. If you are not the appropriate person in your organization to complete this questionnaire, please forward it to the correct person. A PDF version of the survey is attached that contains all questions in the survey, so you can review them before completing the online survey. The software used for the survey will allow you to partially complete the survey and access the survey anytime later to complete it. Please submit the survey once it has been completed. We estimate it should take approximately 30 minutes to complete the survey. If you have any questions, please email the principal investigator Rohan Perera, e-mail: Rohan.Perera@sme- usa.com. Please complete and submit the survey by March 16, 2021. Thank you for your time and expertise in completing the survey.

54 Practices for Ensuring the Smoothness of Concrete Bridge Decks Question 1: Does your agency have a straightedge or a rolling straightedge-based criterion for checking the surface finish of a newly placed concrete bridge deck after the concrete has hardened? (If the answer to Question 1 is No, go to Question 5.) (a) Yes (b) No Question 2: What method is used to check for the straightedge or rolling straightedge criterion? (Check all that apply.) (a) Straightedge (b) Rolling straightedge (c) Rolling straightedge simulation performed on data collected with a walking profiler (e.g., SurPRO) (d) Rolling straightedge simulation performed on data collected with an inertial profiler Question 3: What is the length of straightedge or wheel spacing of the rolling straightedge that is used? (a) 10 foot (b) 12 foot (c) 16 foot (d) Other, please specify: Question 4: What is the straightedge criterion that is required in the direction parallel to the travel direction? (Note: Provide the value that is used when the final riding surface is concrete, as some DOTs have different requirements if the concrete deck is to be overlaid with asphalt.) (a) Deviation less than 1/8 inch from bottom of straightedge (b) Deviation less than 3/16 inch from bottom of straightedge (c) Deviation less than 1/4 inch from bottom of straightedge (d) Other, please specify: Question 5: Does your agency have a specification for new concrete bridge surfaces that is based either on Profile Index or International Roughness Index (IRI) or Half-Car Roughness Index? (If the answer to Question 5 is No, go to Question 23.) (a) No (b) Yes Comment: Name: Agency: Title: Section/Department: Email: Phone:

Survey Sent to State DOTs 55   (c) Bridge deck, approach slab, and a specified length of roadway beyond the approach slab if the pavement is constructed under the same contract Question 7: Does the applied smoothness specification vary based on the functional class (i.e., primary, secondary, etc.) of the roadway? (a) No (b) Yes If Yes, please explain major differences: Question 8: Does the smoothness specification vary for different types of concrete bridge deck construction methods (e.g., inclusion of armored expansion joints)? (a) No (b) Yes If Yes, please comment on the differences: Question 9: Does the concrete bridge deck need to meet a minimum length in order for the smoothness specification to be applied? (a) No (b) Yes If Yes, specify minimum length (feet): Question 10: Who collects the smoothness data on the concrete bridge deck immediately after construction to assess the smoothness of the bridge deck? (a) DOT (b) Contractor constructing the bridge (c) Third party selected by the contractor (d) Third party selected by the DOT Question 11: If the smoothness data on the concrete bridge deck is collected by the contractor constructing the bridge, a third party hired by the contractor, or a third party hired by the DOT, who performs verification testing? (a) DOT (b) A different third party selected by the DOT (c) Other, provide comment: Question 12: What is the time frame for collecting the smoothness data on the concrete bridge deck after construction? (a) Within 7 days after concrete is poured (b) Within 14 days after concrete is poured (c) Within 7 days after the entire project is completed Question 6: What are the limits to which the smoothness specification is applied? (a) Bridge deck only (b) Bridge deck and approach slabs

56 Practices for Ensuring the Smoothness of Concrete Bridge Decks (d) Within 14 days after entire project is completed (e) Once a specified flexural strength is reached for concrete (f) Once a specified compressive strength is reached for concrete (g) No time period is specified Question 13: Are negative or positive pay adjustments applied based on the obtained smoothness? (a) No negative or positive pay adjustments are applied (b) Only negative pay adjustments are applied (c) Only positive pay adjustments are applied (d) Negative or positive pay adjustment are applied based on obtained smoothness Question 14: What is the interval over which the PI or IRI is computed? (a) 100 feet (b) 300 feet (c) 0.1 Mile (528 feet) (d) Entire length of bridge (e) Other, please specify: Question 15: Is the smoothness specification based on PI, IRI, or HRI? (If the answer to Question 15 is IRI or HRI, go to Question 20.) (a) PI (b) IRI (c) HRI Question 16: If the smoothness specification is based on Profile Index (PI), identify all the equipment/methods that are allowed to collect the data. (a) California type profilograph (b) Rainhart type profilograph (c) Walking Profiler (with profilograph simulation performed on data to compute PI) (d) Inertial Profiler (with profilograph simulation performed on data to compute PI) Question 17: When computing the Profile Index (PI), what blanking band is used for analysis? (a) Zero blanking band (b) 0.1-inch blanking band (c) 0.2-inch blanking band (d) Other, please specify: Question 18: What is the threshold for Profile Index (PI) below which no correction is required? Note: If different thresholds are used for different functional classes, please provide the value

Survey Sent to State DOTs 57   used for Interstate Highways. Provide the value when the final riding surface of the bridge will be concrete, as some DOTs may have different requirements if an asphalt overlay is placed on the completed concrete surface. (a) PI not used, only bump criterion used (b) Less than 10 inches per mile (c) Less than 20 inches per mile (d) Less than 30 inches per mile (e) Less than 40 inches per mile (f) Less than 50 inches per mile (g) Less than 60 inches per mile (h) Less than 70 inches per mile (i) Less than 80 inches per mile (j) Other, please specify: Question 19: Based on a 25-foot template used to detect bumps on profilograph data, what are the limits for bumps that need to be corrected? (Note: If different thresholds are used for different functional classes, please provide the value used for Interstate highways. Provide the value when the final riding surface of the bridge will be concrete, as some DOTs may have different requirements if an asphalt overlay is placed on the concrete surface.) After this question, go to Question 22. (a) Only PI used, bump criterion is not specified (b) Greater than 0.2 inches (c) Greater than 0.25 inches (d) Greater than 0.3 inches (e) Greater than 0.4 inches (f) Greater than 0.5 inches (g) Greater than 0.6 inches (h) Other value, please specify: Question 20: If the index used to evaluate smoothness is IRI/HRI, what is the mean IRI/HRI of the evaluated section (e.g., 0.1-mile length, entire bridge etc., based on DOT criterion) below which no corrections are required? (Note: If different thresholds are used for different functional classes please provide the value used for Interstate highways. Provide the value when the final riding surface of the bridge will be concrete, as some DOTs may have different requirements if an asphalt overlay is placed on the completed concrete surface.) (a) Less than 50 in./mi. (b) Less than 60 in./mi. (c) Less than 70 in./mi. (d) Less than 80 in./mi. (e) Less than 90 in./mi. (f) Less than 100 in./mi. (g) Less than 110 in./mi. (h) Less than 120 in./mi. (i) Other, please specify:

58 Practices for Ensuring the Smoothness of Concrete Bridge Decks Question 21: If the index used to evaluate smoothness is the IRI/HRI, how are localized roughness events detected? (a) No method is specified to detect localized roughness; the IRI/HRI of the specified section must be below a specified threshold (b) IRI/HRI values over a specified threshold are based on a continuous 25-foot moving average IRI/HRI (c) Profilograph simulation on profile data is used to detect bumps (d) Other, please specify: Question 22: Is the DOT’s smoothness specification available on the web? (a) No (b) Yes If yes, please provide link: Question 23: This question pertains to the DOT’s Pavement Management System/Bridge Management System. DOTs store the roughness information of their pavement network in a Pavement Management System, with the IRI being the typical parameter that is used to define the roughness. Does the DOT’s Pavement Management System/Bridge Management System store the roughness data collected on bridges during the network level survey? (If the answer to Question 23 is No, go to Question 27.) (a) No (b) Yes, IRI or HRI used Yes, the Index used is; please specify: Question 24: For what length limits associated with the bridge are the roughness data stored? (a) Bridge deck only (b) Bridge deck and approach slab (c) Other, please specify: Question 25: Does the DOT use the roughness data of bridges stored in the Pavement Management System/Bridge Management System to evaluate the roughness progression of bridge decks? (a) Yes (b) No (c) Not known

Survey Sent to State DOTs 59   (a) Yes (b) No (c) Not known Question 27: Does the DOT have a schedule for performing maintenance activities on bridge decks that affect the ride quality (e.g., inspecting expansion joints and approach slab and repairing if issues are found, applying surface treatments, etc.) or are problems addressed when they are reported? (a) DOT has a schedule for performing maintenance activities on bridges that affect ride quality. (b) DOT does not have a schedule, and issues are addressed when they are reported. (c) Not known Question 28: What type of maintenance activities or rehabilitation activities are typically performed on bridges to maintain smoothness? (Check all that apply.) (a) Repairing expansion joints (b) Repairing distress in approach slabs (c) Place an asphalt overlay (d) Place a concrete overlay (e) Place a polymer overlay (f) Other, please specify: Question 29: What type of funding mechanism is available for bridge preservation to ensure that bridges provide a smooth riding surface (e.g., repair of expansion joints, repair of approach slabs)? (a) Dedicated funding provided annually to address smoothness-related issues for a specified length of bridges (b) Dedicated funding provided annually to address smoothness-related issues on a specified number of bridges (c) No dedicated funding is provided, and issues are addressed when they are reported (d) Not known Question 30: Please provide any other comments you may have related to concrete bridge surface smoothness or further explanations to the above questions: Question 26: Does the decision tree used for managing bridges trigger treatments based on the roughness level of the bridge deck?