BRIDGE DECK WATERPROOFING
How and Why to Start a Career in Polyurea Secondary Containment Applications
PROTECTING BRIDGES AND CREATING SAFER SURFACES
Bridges new and old are testaments to man’s ingenuity, serving as some of our most idyllic and historical urban scenery, or as modern feats of engineering. However, it’s to the structural engineering or architectural significance that our attention is most often drawn, but there are countless other design elements that play a similarly critical role in maintaining the safety and functionality of bridges. This includes the steps taken to see that bridges are both safe to walk, ride, or drive on, and protected from water damage, chemical corrosion, physical abrasion, and myriad other risk factors. Known as bridge deck waterproofing, high-performance protective coatings like polyurea can be used to create a waterproof and watertight membrane that insulates bridges, roads, and walkways from their local environment. Whether it’s high foot traffic or torrential downpours, bridge deck waterproofing can protect bridges for many more years of safe and effective operation.
WHY IS BRIDGE DECK
WATERPROOFING SO IMPORTANT?
Bridges aren’t your average infrastructure; they’re often the lifeblood of local communities, or even entire cities. Without them, the flow of goods and services can halt or be greatly limited, and transporting ourselves becomes just as difficult. As a result, protecting these critical structures is paramount for the safety and well-being of travelers, especially when you consider that bridges can cost up to several billion dollars! The trouble is, bridges are enormous, highly complex structures, made of concrete, metal, and many specialty materials used for everything from joints to bearings. They’re constantly exposed to the elements, including high moisture and humidity, harsh UV radiation, fluctuating temperatures, and much more. So, to protect bridges from everything we and mother nature throw at them, bridge deck waterproofing can be used. By coating surfaces in a durable layer of protective coatings like polyurea, bridges can stand the test of time, and resist corrosion, rust, road salt, and other common sources of structural damage. Moreover, instead of relying on the anti-slip and anti-skid properties of bare construction materials, bridge deck waterproofing can also be used to improve the surface profile of pedestrian or vehicular throughways. In short, bridge deck waterproofing can make bridges last longer, require fewer repairs, and be safer and easier to use, making them an important part of modern bridges.
