ABSTRACT
In Japan, reinforced concrete deck slabs of major road bridges in cold regions have suffered from rapid aging due to the large-scale use of de-icing agent (NaCl). Additionally, a large number of minor bridges in farming and other local regions are facing lack of financial and technological resources for maintenance. In this paper, some methodologies to design, construct, and maintain highly-durable concrete bridges in cold and local regions are introduced. Firstly, six full size RC deck slabs on steel main girders were reproduced in the university campus. Varying the materials and mixture proportions, and construction methods for each slab, the performance was evaluated. The test and evaluation results were effective to develop highly-durable concrete deck slabs having excellent durability and crack resistance even under harsh chloride environment. Then, the developed deck slab based on the multiple protection strategy has been applied to reconstruction roads in the 2011 Tohoku earthquake-damaged regions. On the other hand, to maintain infrastructures by a simple preventive method, the spirit of fushin, is a starting point for civil engineering in Japan, is deeply ingrained in local regions. The concept of fushin is “the infrastructure desired by local residents should be built and maintained by themselves.” The latter part of this paper covers a modern-day version of this traditional maintenance method that has been introduced to local communities and put into practice.
