Had this thought in the car. The Gasconade river flooded I-44 and when the floodwaters retreated, the old concrete pavement looked good under the twisted and crumbled asphalt overlay. My question is this normal? Are there other situations like these.
(My gut says that this isn't an isolated incident because the water has tons of energy. FB commenters say it's the contractor's fault for not presealing (Geez, I forget the exact terminology) [I don't know when they overlayed this section of road])
(https://i.imgur.com/D9g1nyG.jpg)
article (http://www.ky3.com/content/news/TRAFFIC-ALERT-Why-it-may-be-days-before-I-44-reopens-near-Lebanon-420914213.html)
Being that this was over a bridge, the asphalt was probably a way to regrade the roadway without major construction. I've seen it over concrete roadways as well; usually a little extra work needs to be done to the asphalt to allow for the expansion and contraction of the concrete underneath.
I can name a few overpasses in my area that were given this overlay treatment; many times to change the profile of the lanes. One particular overpass I can point out is NJ 42: Formerly 4 lanes ( https://goo.gl/maps/6dTD8xtNXpC2 ), a simple asphalt paving over the NJ Turnpike bridge changes the crowning on the original overpass and changes the profile, so that the overpass could be relined for 5 lanes ( https://goo.gl/maps/smQoFCgPZiD2 ).
In a case like flooding as you have above, there's not much that can be done. Otherwise normal roadways wash out as well; an overlay doesn't stand much chance at surviving.
I've been talking about that picture a lot the last few days, and I've wondered whether they could simply lay new asphalt and call it good. (ish)
Quote from: kphoger on May 05, 2017, 03:01:09 PM
I've been talking about that picture a lot the last few days, and I've wondered whether they could simply lay new asphalt and call it good. (ish)
Considering this stretch is open now, I would assume that's what they did. I was wondering about the causation of that.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 05, 2017, 02:59:46 PM
In a case like flooding as you have above, there's not much that can be done. Otherwise normal roadways wash out as well; an overlay doesn't stand much chance at surviving.
That was my gut reaction.