ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Steel bridge surfaces exposed to aggressive environment must be protected to preserve structural integrity and provide longevity. Metallization is a versatile thermal spray solution commonly used in steel bridge fabrication due to its long-term protection. Highway bridge design standards in NorthAmerica specify values for slip coefficients to be used in slip-critical connections for various faying surfaces. Currently, these standards do not prescribe a slip coefficient value for metallized faying surfaces used with slip-critical bolted connections. Thus, bridge fabricators are compelled to mask off joint faying surfaces before metalizing, which is very time-consuming and expensive. This article presents results from two different research work carried by Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada, and the Federal Highway Administration, Virginia, United States, on the slip performance of metalized faying surfaces. Both short-duration slip tests under static load and long-term sustained creep tests, performed at the laboratories of the two partner institutions, are reported in this article. The slip resistance is then characterized based on the Canadian Highway bridge design code and the AASHTO LRFD bridge design code. Results of this study are likely to influence future code revisions in North America.
