FOUNDATION INSULATION OF STRUCTURE

It is important to build the beams directly onto the foundation. This will secure a strong adhension and makes the bridge stronger. The beams carry the weight and makes sure the carrying capacity is high and safe enough.

After the beams are set the walls will be added to the beams. With walls we mean the (prefab) concrete surfaces on the side. These need to be insulated properly as it will keep the bridge healthy and prevents rotting or cracking inside the surface. The roof trusses will be attached on top of the frame walls.

The underdeck how we call it is what can be seen as the roof of the bridge when standing under the bridge. All water that leaks from the topdeck will be stored in the underdeck. Most problems will occur and seen first in this part of the bridge. If a bridge is built on water the moisture will rise up and enter the underdeck. It is important to use a suitable insulation to prevent the underdeck from rotting and to keep it strong.

The topdeck will be installed on top of the underdeck. Most of the time prefabricated concrete pieces will be used. A waterproof coating such as epoxy will be applied to prevent water leakage from the topdeck to the underdeck. These type of coatings need to be resistant against chemicals and gasses as cars, trucks and other vehicles will cross over. The risk of moisture and waterproblems in the concrete will be reduced. In case of any leakage corrosion can occur and rust spots will appear.

When a bridge is built concrete expansion joints will be added in between the prefabricated parts. This will take away the pressure caused by movement. The concrete expansion joints prevents cracking of the prefabricated concrete parts and will make the lifespan of the bridge longer and strengthen the infrastructure. It is important to insulate the area around the concrete expansion joint to prevent water and moisture entering other parts of the bridge.

In every structure there will also be drainage systems. It is important to have a drainage system in the topdeck of the bridge to take away excess water. The area around the system needs to be sealed to prevent leaking. A suitable product with strong adhension needs to be used to fill up the gaps.