High Alkali content affects I-49 and other Arkansas Roads

[US71]

High alkalai content has led to median barrier damage along I-49 and may affect other Arkansas roads as well.

[Jardine]

I don't think the Romans had that problem.

[US71]

I don't think the Romans had that problem.

Their water sources probably weren't as gacked up as the Arkansas River is.

[noelbotevera]

So pretty much, this is AHTD's fault because they were dumb enough to think that using Alkali would extend the life of concrete? Can't Arkansas use asphalt, or will it make the problem worse?

[US71]

So pretty much, this is AHTD's fault because they were dumb enough to think that using Alkali would extend the life of concrete? Can't Arkansas use asphalt, or will it make the problem worse?

No. It's mostly a bad chemical reaction with the Arkansas River sand.

[cjk374]

LA DOTD ran into the same problem on a stretch between MP 93 & the Lincoln/Ouachita Parish line. The rock used by the contractor to make the concrete came from Kentucky. It was too alkaline and the concrete was breaking apart in less than 5 years. Putting hotmix over that has lead to at least 2 or 3 repaving jobs since then (it was the mid 90s when the new concrete was poured).

[TXtoNJ]

Chicken manure from the Tyson plants?

[SteveG1988]

There is that bridge over the LA river that is crumbling from the same reaction.

[US71]

Chicken manure from the Tyson plants?

Possible. They've been cited in the past for dumping.

[bjrush]

This isn't really AHTD's fault. Sometimes the fine aggregate just has a high alkali content. You can't use asphalt for a median barrier.

The same thing happened with XNAs main runway