About This Project

Between July 30 and August 1, 2012 Pine Waterproofing & Sealant, Inc. installed nearly 7,000 square feet of Bridge Preservation™ Bridge Deck Membrane (BDM) on the Metra Bridge over US 45 (LaGrange Road), Structure No. 016-6201, originally constructed in 1940 for the Wabash Railway Company. Bridge Deck Membrane™, a spray applied waterproofing membrane exceeds AREMA Chapter 8 Part 29 requirements for waterproofing membranes, offering an easy to install, high performance waterproofing membrane designed to last the lifetime of the structure.

When workers arrived on site there was standing water on the deck, which was removed by blowers and brooms. While water does not interfere with the material’s ability to cure, it does adversely affect the bond strength, which is a critical element of any successful installation. Once the deck was properly dried, the deck was sand blasted to Bridge Preservation’s standards (SSPC-SP10 Near White Blast; 3-5 mil blast profile). Proper preparation of the surface maximizes the material’s bond strength.

Immediately following the surface preparation, Bridge Preservation™ Multi-Use Primer was installed using hand sprayers and then rolled out to ensure uniform thickness and coverage. After the primer had completely cured, 80 mils of Bridge Preservation™ BDM was installed, the minimum thickness required by AREMA Chapter 8 Part 29. As part of Bridge Preservation’s comprehensive Quality Control/Quality Assurance Program, daily QC readings such as environmental conditions and bond strength are taken and recorded. Because of the tenacious bond of BDM to steel, typical bond strength readings were over 1,000 PSI.

Bridge Preservation does not require the use protection board with BDM™, but understands that there are owners that prefer the additional protection regardless. In this case, Metra opted to use traditional asphaltic planks in accordance with AREMA Chapter 8 Part 29, which were installed immediately following the waterproofing installation.