Rapid Deployment Painting-Jefferson County, Federal Aid Research Task No. 135

KYTC is seeking new approaches to bridge maintenance painting that limit inconvenience to the motoring public. A promising method termed "Rapid Deployment Painting" is used for painting overpass bridges. With this method, off-peak hour painting is employed. Specialized materials and equipment are used to clean and paint structural steel over traffic lanes in a reduced time period. Under this FRT, KTC researchers will attend all preliminary meetings (pre-bid, pre-construction, and partnering) prior to the onset of field work to identify contract requirements, contractor concerns, and resolution of issues for conducting painting operations. Additionally, KTC researchers will photograph the bridge in its initial condition. They will review as-built drawings of the bridge, quantify the sizes of each designated control area, identify potential problem sites and details, and ascertain the contractor's field equipment, number of personnel, plans for setting up his operation, traffic control measures, and preliminary work schedule. KTC researchers will monitor initial set up work such as cable stringing and temporary diaphragm placement. The contractor's rapid deployment painting operations will be reviewed from beginning to end of the project. This work will include: work times for abrasive blasting, touch-up and cleaning, KYTC inspections and findings, repairs, and primer and top coat application in each control area. Problems and their resolution will be noted. Contractor and KYTC inspection manpower use throughout the project will be documented as well as project costs and any KYTC penalties assessed to the contractor for exceeding allotted structure access times/lane closures. Several weeks after the completion of the work, KYTC and FHWA officials and KTC researchers will perform a one-day follow-on inspection of the structure to assess the quality of the coating application. An interim report that will document field observations and short-term performance will be produced by August 1, 2004. Assessments of application, curing time, and short-term performance of the coatings applied will be used to begin development of a material specification for coatings for Rapid Deployment Painting projects. When a material specification has been developed, manufacturers will be solicited to supply coating for laboratory evaluation. KTC will conduct accelerated performance tests for these coatings. Results of these tests will be used to develop an approved list of suppliers for the coatings to be used in rapid deployment painting operations. Thereafter a final report will be prepared documenting all project events, data, and findings. Additionally, recommendations will be provided for conducting future rapid deployment painting operations.