BRIDGE DECK WATERPROOFING
How and Why to Start a Career in Polyurea Secondary Containment Applications
PROTECTING BRIDGES AND CREATING SAFER SURFACES
Bridges new and old are testaments to man’s ingenuity, serving as some of our most idyllic and historical urban scenery, or as modern feats of engineering. However, it’s to the structural engineering or architectural significance that our attention is most often drawn, but there are countless other design elements that play a similarly critical role in maintaining the safety and functionality of bridges. This includes the steps taken to see that bridges are both safe to walk, ride, or drive on, and protected from water damage, chemical corrosion, physical abrasion, and myriad other risk factors. Known as bridge deck waterproofing, high-performance protective coatings like polyurea can be used to create a waterproof and watertight membrane that insulates bridges, roads, and walkways from their local environment. Whether it’s high foot traffic or torrential downpours, bridge deck waterproofing can protect bridges for many more years of safe and effective operation.
WHY IS BRIDGE DECK
WATERPROOFING SO IMPORTANT?
Bridges aren’t your average infrastructure; they’re often the lifeblood of local communities, or even entire cities. Without them, the flow of goods and services can halt or be greatly limited, and transporting ourselves becomes just as difficult. As a result, protecting these critical structures is paramount for the safety and well-being of travelers, especially when you consider that bridges can cost up to several billion dollars! The trouble is, bridges are enormous, highly complex structures, made of concrete, metal, and many specialty materials used for everything from joints to bearings. They’re constantly exposed to the elements, including high moisture and humidity, harsh UV radiation, fluctuating temperatures, and much more. So, to protect bridges from everything we and mother nature throw at them, bridge deck waterproofing can be used. By coating surfaces in a durable layer of protective coatings like polyurea, bridges can stand the test of time, and resist corrosion, rust, road salt, and other common sources of structural damage. Moreover, instead of relying on the anti-slip and anti-skid properties of bare construction materials, bridge deck waterproofing can also be used to improve the surface profile of pedestrian or vehicular throughways. In short, bridge deck waterproofing can make bridges last longer, require fewer repairs, and be safer and easier to use, making them an important part of modern bridges.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF USING
POLYUREA FOR BRIDGE DECK WATERPROOFING?
Polyurea is a premier coatings technology, designed to serve as a more moisture-resistant alternative to polyurethane, its sister material. Since its development several decades ago, polyurea has become a popular choice for bridge deck waterproofing, thanks to the same key advantages that have seen it rise to the top of the coatings industry for wide ranging applications. Firstly, polyurea is both strong and flexible, serving as a durable barrier that can adjust to its environment without compromising performance. Polyurea’s strength also extends beyond the physical, and benefits from exceptional chemical resistance to strong acids, organic solvents, and other types of caustic chemicals. For bridge deck waterproofing, polyurea’s watertight membrane and high moisture resistance make it a natural choice, which paired with high thermal stability and an improved environmental profile, make it the clear best choice too. If that wasn’t already enough, polyurea is also among the most rapidly curing and easiest to apply high-performance coatings available on the market, allowing for large installations to start and finish on the same day. For all of these reasons and more, polyurea is one of the best technologies for bridge deck waterproofing, and continues to see extensive use on our favorite walkways in the sky.
BEYOND THE BRIDGE
The same incredible polyurea spray elastomer technology used for bridge deck waterproofing can be used across numerous other private, commercial, and industrial applications. Whether it’s for protecting truck beds or creating robust secondary containment systems, polyurea is a highly robust and exceptionally versatile protective coatings perfect for countless different projects. Here are just a few examples of some of its other common applications:
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FAQ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The cost of bridge deck waterproofing depends on several key factors, including the size of the bridge, the type of protective coatings, the operational environment, and more. By opting for high-quality protective coatings like polyurea, bridges can require far fewer repairs, saving big on costs in the long run, and making their installation highly cost-effective.
Strictly speaking, it’s not absolutely necessary to apply bridge deck waterproofing. However, without it, bridges are more dangerous to use, and more susceptible to environmental stressors that can reduce their operational lifetime. For any bridge, anywhere, bridge deck waterproofing can help protect against weather, abrasion, spills, and more, while also contributing to safer surfaces.
Among the countless coatings technologies available on the market, polyurea stands out as one of the best choices for bridge deck waterproofing. It’s strong and flexible, compatible with many different substrate materials, rapidly cures, and is safer and more sustainable than many alternative technologies. Most importantly, polyurea is waterproof and watertight, and can be installed with textured finishes for better slip and skid resistance.
FIND OR BECOME AN APPLICATOR
If you’re looking for expert guidance for your next bridge deck waterproofing project, partnering with ArmorThane can make all the difference. We’re leaders in the paints and coatings industry, offering a growing catalog of advanced polyurea and polyurethane formulations perfect for bridges, pool decks, roofing, truck beds, and countless other applications. As full service operators, we can serve as your one-stop shop for all of your coatings needs, whether you need help selecting the best material technology for your unique project, or want experienced professionals to handle your installation from start to finish. For those of us who just can’t get enough of all things protective coatings, we also offer professional training and certification as well as cost-effective startup packages that include everything you need to start your own coatings business. So, whether you’re rushing to meet project deadlines, or can’t wait to start your entrepreneurial journey, contact us today to see how we can help!
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ArmorThane has built a strong reputation over the past 30 years for producing high-quality, durable protective coatings.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TYLER GLECKLER
I am a chemist with a specialization in nanotechnology and applied materials chemistry. My work has focused on the characterization of optoelectronic materials, namely including semiconductor nanocrystals.
