Richard G. Lampo

Structural response of a recycled thermoplastic lumber bridge under civilian and military loads

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) executed a load test and verification simulation on a novel thermoplastic composite bridge, T-8518, located on Tuckers Road in Camp Mackall, North Carolina. The bridge was made with 94% recycled plastic material, primarily recycled high-density polyethylene. An M1 Abrams battle tank and a loaded dump truck were used as a live load to determine the appropriate military load classification (MLC) and civilian load rating for the bridge superstructure. The bridge was designed to support the M1 Abrams battle tank with a gross weight of 63.5 tones to replace a dilapidated timber bridge that, because of its condition, was limited to a maximum load of 4.26 tones. A finite element analysis (FEA) of the entire superstructure based on the load test results indicated that the bridge exceeded design specifications and performed in a normal linear–elastic manner with relatively small viscoelastic responses for all loads.

In-situ subsurface coating of corroded steel sheet pile structures : final report on Project F08-AR06

The Department of Defense (DoD) spends over

Demonstration of thermoplastic composite I-beam design bridge at Camp Mackall, NC : final report on Projects FY08-16 and FY09-31

100 million annually maintaining and repairing waterfront infrastructure, including corroded steel sheet pile structures located in warm, salt-water immersion and areas susceptible to accelerated low-water corrosion. Once designed as temporary structures, many now support permanent requirements and must be repaired in place. Conventional underwater repair and coating operations are accomplished by specialized divers at very high cost. This project investigated a cost-saving emerging technology called a limpet cofferdam, which is readily positioned below the waterline to provide workshop-like conditions for repair technicians, and is rapidly movable along submerged sheet pile structures. Also demonstrated was a highly durable, single-coat amine epoxy system that fully cures in immersion. Limpet deployment and dewatering was completed in 30 minutes or less, and leaks into the workspace through damaged sheet pile were sealed in 5–30 minutes, depending on perforation size and other variables. The coating was found to be readily sprayable with only minimal pinholing, and fully cured under water. Literature indicates that this coating can be expected to have a 25–30 year service life. The calculated return on investment for these technologies is 14.70, with higher potential return when planning includes the recommended site-assessment methods. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents. DESTROY THIS REPORT WHEN NO LONGER NEEDED. DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE ORIGINATOR. ERDC/CERL TR-17-35 iii

Demonstration of thermally sprayed metal and polymer coatings for steel structures at Fort Bragg, NC : final report on Project F07-AR10

Bridges are essential to many military installations, especially in remote training areas. Like many of our nation’s infrastructure bridges, U.S. Army bridges are in critical need of maintenance and repair due to the combination of wear and tear and material degradation, especially the hundreds of wood timber bridges. Repair or replacement represents a major cost to the Army that could be minimized by using cost-competitive, longer-lasting bridges. This effort determined that the innovative use of thermoplastic materials was successful in engineering and constructing a new bridge design that could safely carry the same or greater loads, be virtually maintenance-free, and be cost competitive on a first-cost basis when compared to wood timber bridges. Both the initial load testing and long-term monitoring as well as the life-cycle economic analysis for this project validated the beneficial use of the innovative thermoplastic materials and I-beam design. Moreover, this work is the first recorded effort to construct and demonstrate that a thermoplastic composite bridge of any type can bear the load of a 71-ton (64 Mg) Abrams tank. The results show that the design and materials achieved and surpassed their objectives, and they are recommended to be adopted on a widespread basis. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents. DESTROY THIS REPORT WHEN NO LONGER NEEDED. DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE ORIGINATOR. ERDC/CERL TR-17-45 iii

Sustainable Building Materials for the Prevention of Corrosion

Abstract : The Department of Defense spends billions annually on corrosion-related maintenance. It has recently been estimated that at least 25 U.S. Army installations have severe corrosion problems with above-ground steel storage tanks. Coatings are widely recognized as a first line of defense for protecting these steel structures. Thus, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Corrosion Prevention and Control Program sponsored a project that demonstrated and evaluated new technology with two thermally sprayed coating systems for corrosion protection of steel structures in severely corrosive environments. The technologies included metallizing a steel tank with zinc-aluminum alloy and flame-spraying a polyolefin powder coating on the legs of an elevated steel storage tank. This report documents the materials and application of the two coating systems and subsequent performance evaluations. Metallizing is more costly than traditional organic coatings and is often overlooked as an option. However, life-cycle costs in highly corrosive environments can actually be lower than using organic coating systems. As this project demonstrated, the flame-sprayed polyolefin coating is too costly for use on large steel structures. Guidance documents are identified to help make decisions on the use and procurement of metallizing coating systems. The projects return on investment was calculated to be 2.94.

Behavior of fiber-reinforced plastics as construction materials in extreme environments

Billions of dollars are spent each year in the construction, operation, and maintenance of military facilities. Directives have come from the highest Commands to make our military installations more “sustainable.” Sustainable facilities can equate to reduced wastes (use of products with a recycled content), extended service life (more durable, reduced degradation), operational cost savings (more efficient energy usage), reduced costs for initial installation, reduced lifecycle costs, and increased quality of life. Many sustainable building products and systems are now available that can be used in place of the more traditional material systems but which are more resistant to corrosion and materials degradation than the traditional materials for the same applications. Yet the use of these sustainable alternative materials is limited typically because to the lack of awareness of their availability and/or knowledge of the potential benefits that they might offer. This paper describes some of these available sustainable materials and material systems and the potential cost savings and increased operational reliability they can offer in applications ranging from barracks and office space for the soldier in garrison to bridges and lines of communication in theater.