Technical Survey and Literature Review on Bridge Joint Monitoring Practices

Abstract Expansion joints are essential components for maintaining the stability of numerous bridge types by accommodating and absorbing the movements of a bridge. Various factors cause bridge movement, including thermal expansion, weather variation, vehicle movement, and strain from different loads. To minimize damage and maintenance costs, joint monitoring is utilized to detect any negative changes or deterioration to the joint. Current methods of joint monitoring are costly and time-consuming, creating a demand for new processes that can alert engineers before the damage becomes extensive. Recently, Europe and Asia have been at the forefront of joint monitoring efforts, such as the inspection of 150 expansion joints on the highways in Portugal. In addition, many studies of temperature and thermal effects on bridge joints have been done on several bridges in China, including the Ting Kau Bridge in Hong Kong, the Zhanjiang Bay Bridge in Zhanjiang City, a suspension bridge over the Yangtze River, and a cable-stayed bridge in Ningbo. However, there are not many applications in the United States. In this paper, the current joint monitoring practices for six Department of Transportations in New England are presented as a technical survey. This survey on bridge joint monitoring provides details about the impacts on the expansion joints caused by certain factors such as structural movement at the joint, traffic loading, joint design, and the materials used. By understanding the effects of the surrounding elements on the bridge joint, a better process for long-term monitoring of expansion joints can be developed, which is beneficial for the safety and stability of the bridge.