During its spring ICI/INDOT Regional Joint Cooperative Committee meetings, Modified Concrete Suppliers, LLC representatives Dennis Kuchler and Brent Vautaw along with Hydro-Technology’s Scott Sweeney explained details involved in applying modified latex concrete bridge overlays. Developed over the past 30 years, the method has been used in place of hand removal of concrete.
It involves three basic steps:
- Milling;
- Selective removal of bad concrete/clean-up; and
- Latex modified concrete overlay.
The method is faster and less damaging to a structure than using jackhammers, and it helps reduce maintenance costs. The service life of the new overlay averages 25 years for bridge decks.
Due to heavier than normal rainfall during the 2015 construction season, contractors have frequently invoked Above-Normal Inclement Weather Days (§101.02). The committees’ discussion focused on issues such as:
- When to consider additional time;
- Adding time in months with decreased expected productivity;
- Eliminating work day contracts;
- “Banking” non-inclement weather days;
- and acceleration.
All three region committee agreed that improvements to the specification should decrease confusion and better set expectations for contractors during bid time and construction.
Industry is experiencing difficulty bidding on temporary signs due to the current circumstances that cause signs to remain in service significantly past the contract completion date. A suggested modification of the INDOT form IC 686, “Release From Signing Responsibility,” could reduce risk and provide INDOT with more accurate unit pricing for temporary sign items.