Video Summary: Total Cost to build bridge $1 Billion (average) As bridge gets older, the value of repair increases.
Pavement develops cracks from vehicle usage and load, water enters cracks reaching the core of the bridge substance creating a mush, pavement gets poured over cracks as temporary fix which actually traps in existing moisture promoting disintegration, new cement develops cracks with time…and the cycle continues…
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Okay, so if the bridges cost so much in terms of life costing, then would potential intervention remedy the situation significantly? Bridges are so wrought with freeze thaw problems that spawling of concrete is not uncommon. Bridges take a beating and the engineers over history have accommodated (or at least done their best to) for these things like by putting expansion joints or even roller connections to allow for a great deal of “flexibility”… the questions are whether or not it is a) appropriate to build into such conditions and b) if it is possible, would it be cost effective to do so?
You may also wish to check this out as this is likely what happened (at an exaggerated scale) in TORONTO!
http://spacing.ca/photoblog/?page_id=42