2024 Award Winners and Nominees
Project Name
Delaware Memorial Rehabilitation Bridge Project
Description
NRMCA Member CHRYSO & GCP Admixtures Expedite Delaware Memorial Bridge Project
NRMCA Member CHRYSO & GCP’s concrete admixtures played a critical role in the Delaware Memorial Bridge deck rehabilitation project, completed in November 2023.
The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a pair of twin suspension bridges that span the Delaware River, connecting Delaware and New Jersey. After over 60 years of service, it was determined that a major deck rehabilitation was needed on the northbound bridge to prolong the service life of the existing deck. The two-year, three phase rehabilitation project kicked off in September 2022.
As a vital toll bridge with over 80,000 vehicles crossing it daily, there were immense challenges to executing a major rehabilitation. The Delaware River & Bay Authority (DRBA) considered several options to repair or replace the existing bridge deck. After a life-cycle cost analysis, the owner determined that the use of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) was the preferred repair solution for the project. The UHPC would be installed as a new overlay system along the length of the bridge to both protect and structurally strengthen the existing bridge deck.
In September 2023, the third and final phase of the rehabilitation project began, which consisted of removing two to three inches of deteriorated concrete from the existing deck surface of the Northbound two right lanes on the New Jersey side, and then replacing it with an equivalent thickness of UHPC. To conquer the time constraints and make sure the new bridge deck will withstand the test of time, Ductal®’s fiber-reinforced UHPC and NRMCA Memeber CHRYSO & GCP’s admixture technologies were selected as the solution providers.
In partnership with UHPC Solutions (the General Contractor) and Ductal (the UHPC material supplier), the CHRYSO & GCP technical team helped identify the best admixtures for the intended application. The inclusion of the CHRYSO & GCP admixtures, such as high-range water reducers, allows for less batch water to be used in the UHPC mixture, producing a concrete that achieves >18,000 psi compressive strength, more than 3x stronger than traditional bridge deck
concrete. Additionally, the admixtures facilitated a concrete consistency that the contractor could pave in a downhill direction, which is not typically done in concrete paving. This allowed the contractor to condense their construction schedule, saving them both time and money.
Evidence
DE Memorial Bridge Project Breaks Records
More than 5,000 cubic yards of UHPC was installed on this project, which was placed using a specialty paver designed by the contractor and later diamond ground and grooved to ensure a smooth riding surface.
UHPC North America Director Gil Brindley, commented, “This project is the first of its kind in the United States. It is the first suspension bridge to have a UHPC overlay, the largest UHPC project in the U.S., and broke records for UHPC placed in a single day. The success of the project is due to the partnership of all those involved. From the owner and designer, material suppliers and subcontractors, to the workforce that performed the work, everyone played an important role and worked collaboratively to make this project a reality.”
The combination of Ductal’s concrete formulation expertise with NRMCA Member CHRYSO & GCP’s admixture technologies, as well as the contractor’s optimized processes and equipment, overcame all challenges. The CHRYSO & GCP admixtures met all concrete rheology, strengths, finishability, and durability needs. The UHPC overlay was installed extremely quickly, shaving two weeks from the 11-week Phase 3 construction window. In addition, the enhanced performance of the new UHPC equates to less overall concrete used, which further reduces the project’s CO2 impact. Thanks to the innovations, expertise and collaboration, the bridge deck is now more durable and resilient with a low financial impact.
“Holcim US and Ductal are very excited to bring our innovative UHPC solution to this signature bridge project," said Greg Nault, technical manager for Ductal US. “CHRYSO & GCP’s specialty admixtures continue to work exceptionally well in our Ductal products and allow us to cultivate new innovations for the construction industry. We look forward to more opportunities like this in the near future!”
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