Investigation on Moisture Damage Prevention of a Spherical Hinge Structure of a Swivel Bridge

Abstract

As a key component of a swivel bridge, the spherical hinge is a steel-concrete structure, which is susceptible to moisture damage during waiting time. In this paper, spherical hinge moisture damage prevention is investigated comprehensively from two aspects of impermeable concrete and steel-concrete interface waterproof coating. Three impermeable concretes were prepared and tested by the compressive strength test, splitting tensile test, four-point bending test and the impermeability test. The test results illustrated that addition of cementitious capillary crystalline active masterbatch (CCCAM) and polypropylene fiber (PP) could improve the toughness and brittleness of concrete. The addition of CCCAM was an effective technique for improving the permeability of concrete. However, the incorporation of PP and CCCAM at the same time cannot improve the impermeability of concrete. This may be because the chaotic support structure formed by PP prevents the infiltration and uniform dispersion of CCCAM. A waterproof coating consolidation performance test was proposed to quantify the interface bond strength of waterproof coatings and assess the impact of temperature, moisture and freeze-thawing cycles on consolidation performance of waterproof coatings. The test results showed that temperature had a significant effect on the interface consolidation property of waterproof coatings and the optimal dosage of SBS modified asphalt (SBS), polyurethane (PLT) and unsaturated polyester resin (UPLS) waterproof coating is 1.18kg/m2, 0.95kg/m2 and 1.15kg/m2, respectively. Moreover, it was found that PLS waterproof coating maintained excellent properties in complex environment. This is because PLS has excellent shear strength and rubber characteristics, and it can form a hard–soft–hard transition layer between the concrete and steel, reducing the impact of environmental factors.