There are many exciting research initiatives that are being undertaken at the Transportation Research Institute. Below are just some examples of current work.
This Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation research (NEESR) payload project is to accurately model and control plastic hinging locations in concrete bridge structures through an investigation of actual hinging behavior in large-scale testing of 4-span bridge systems subjected to multiple excitations that includes the effects of joint and foundation flexibility at the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) site at the University of Nevada Reno.
Cracks in concrete bridge decks provide easy access for water and deicing chemicals that shorten the life of the deck. Both materials increase the effects of freeze-thaw damage, while the deicing chemicals lead to higher concentrations of chlorides, and subsequently, corrosion of reinforcing steel. Measurements taken on bridges in Kansas show that dense, high quality concrete can significantly slow the penetration of chlorides to the level of the reinforcing steel. However, measurements taken at cracks show that the chloride content of the concrete can exceed the corrosion threshold at the level of the reinforcing steel by the end of the first winter. The formation of cracks, thus, significantly lowers the effectiveness of other techniques that are used to increase the life of a deck.
