Case Study

Procedure & Observations:
CERATECH personnel were called to the sight of the westbound lane of I-20 at Mountain Creek Parkway. Upon arrival I met with Chris Irwin, Ram Tool, and Ed A. Wilson Contracting and was shown the bridge pier on the north side of the westbound lane of I-20 that had recently been struck by a tractor trailer. The resulting impact knocked out an existing repair and damaged the bridge pier extensively.

The area once prepared was approximately 8 feet long by 3 feet high and extended completely under the base of the pier to a width of approximately 2 feet. The repair required 14 units of PaveMend VR™ and was completed in approximately 6 hours from start to finish.

Product Placement
The ambient temperatures were approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit with water temperatures of approximately 53 degrees Fahrenheit and material temperatures around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix times varied depending on whether a single or double unit was mixed and ranged from 6 minutes to approximately 9 minutes. Placement of material was completed utilizing standard tooling with the addition of a plywood form board for the underside area. The form board was utilized due to thickness of repair (approximately 4 inches) to ensure material reached initial set in mass prior to surface finishing.

Note: PaveMend VR™ Material mixed at above specified temperatures was mixed to a 30 degrees temperature rise and reached approximately 79 degrees and end of mix cycle prior to placement.

Once the repair was completed and the material reached final set the surface was ground to specific contour and shape.

Note: Typical repairs utilizing standard repair materials required the use of a scrub coat and the placement of several patch pins to ensure a mechanical bond to the repair material. The utilization of VR did not require the use of either scrub coats or patch pins resulting in substantial cost savings to the contractor.

Conclusion:
This application will be monitored by TX DOT as well as the contractor to determine overall performance. The material has now been in place for approximately 2.5 months and is performing perfectly. CERATECH has been working with various TX DOT districts and has recently been invited to attend and present at the upcoming TX DOT Operations Meeting. Sales will follow up with TX DOT for other repair opportunities and to work with additional districts in an attempt to secure additional business within the TX DOT market sector.