Experimental and numerical analysis of a waterproofing adhesive layer used on concrete-bridge decks

This paper studies the adhesive behavior of a waterproof layer used between a concrete-bridge deck and an asphalt–concrete overlay. The laboratory direct-shear and pull-off tests were designed to measure the interface adhesive strengths. A three-dimensional, finite-element model was developed to analyze the interfacial shear stress and tensile stress in response to vehicle loading. Results indicate that an interface friction coefficient of 0.5 could achieve high interfacial shear strength with relatively low shear stress. The safety factor (strength/stress) decreases significantly with increasing environmental temperatures. The effects of compaction temperature, modulus, and thickness of overlay on the adhesive strengths and stresses were also examined.