Performance-Based Approach for Deciding Concrete Age for Healer Sealer Application on New Concrete

Abstract

Healer sealer application is one of the capital schedule maintenance (CSM) activities for enhancing concrete bridge deck durability and extending the service life. A healer sealer is expected to seal the cracks and reduce the rate of chloride ion ingress. Highway agency policies and manufacturer specifications require maintaining a total of 28-day curing period (7-day wet and 21-day dry curing) before the application of a healer sealer on bridge decks with new concrete in patches and repairs. Consequently, the contractors have to wait for 28 days to apply a healer sealer. Delaying application time increases project completion time and cost of construction and mobility. This paper presents a performance-based approach for evaluating the possibility of reducing the 28-day waiting period for healer sealer application on bridge decks with new concrete. An experimental program was developed and executed to evaluate the impact of healer sealer application parameters on crack sealing ability. A healer sealer was applied at 14, 21, and 28 days of concrete age. The treated surface was ponded with 3% NaCl. The performance of the treated concrete was evaluated using the acid-soluble chloride content test. The results showed the possibility of applying a sealer before the end of the 28-day curing period stipulated in the current specifications. The performance-based approach presented in this paper can be used to identify the age of concrete for healer sealer application.