Transportation
After assembling according to design requirements, the bridge expansion device will be transported to the construction field by manufacture or the used. If its length surpass the allowable transporting limit or can be integrally transported due to other reasons, the method of segmental manufacture will be adopted.
Storage
After transported to the construction field, the storing place of the bridge expansion device should be close the installation position. They should be placed on supporters which are 30cm higher than the ground.
Installation
Bridge expansion device with the same good qualities and different installation qualities, their using effects and durability will be greatly different. Through investigation and research, we have proved that the installation quality of the bridge expansion device is the last key step in controlling their using effects.
- The installation of bridge expansion device should be conducted after paved on the road as far as possible. Before the installation of bridge expansion device, the width ,depth and embedded bars of the performed groove should be checked to make them complied with the requirements of the installation of bridge expansion device.
- Clean the groove opening ,and all pollutants, dust and other unnecessary things should be eliminated.
- Check whether the clearances between various beams of the bridge expansion device are complied with the requirements of installation temperature. If not , adjustment should be conducted under the guidance of engineering technicians from the manufacturing plant. After adjustment , install the clamps for installation.
- Take both sides of asphalt pavement as height marks. Place the bridge expansion device in the groove opening through hoisting equipments. Adjust the bridge expansion device to make their top surface .the same elevations with the pavement. Their longitudinal slope and cross slope should be in correspondent with the bridge surface.
- Check the position of the bridge expansion device to make the positions of the bridge expansion device in the direction perpendicular joints and longitudinal joints comply with design requirements. If individual embedded bars hindering the correct installation of the flexing equipments, they can be cut off by gas cutting machine.
- After the correct positioning of the bridge expansion device, anchoring bars on one side of the bridge expansion device should be connected and welded together with the embedded bars in the performed groove. The wielding can be conducted in every two , and then, weld the anchoring bars on the other side in the above procedures. After the bridge expansion device are fixed, remove the clamps. And entirely weld other un-welded anchoring bars with embedded bars to reliably anchoring the bridge expansion device . Attention: strictly forbid random welding on central beams and boundary beams of the bridge expansion device.
- If the bridge expansion device are installed in segments . The joints should be welded . The welding joints of sectional steel should be prepared in the manufacturing plant. After the alignment of two adjacent joints , the installation can be conducted. After welding every beam, anchor them in the above procedures.
- Install templates at the end of the beam. The templates should be manufactured according to the outline dimensions of the bridge expansion device and the notch of the performed groove. The template should be very tight to avoid mortar from flowing into controlling box or gaps at the end of beams.
- After checking the tightness of the installed template, clean the performed groove , pour the concrete and vibrate to compaction. The concrete should at least have the same strength with the structural concrete in this place. During the pouring of concrete , the top surface of the bridge expansion device should kept clean.