As Buchanan County, Iowa, begins plans to replace several miles of concrete pavements nearing 50 years old-the typical, expected structural life-in the next few years, the county's head engineer Brian Keierleber began looking for new ways to build longer-lasting roads and reduce maintenance. Keierleber and his team found what they were looking for in the new ASTM A1094 spec for Continuous Hot-Dip Galvanized (HDG) Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement. This spec for continuous galvanized rebar (CGR) covers steel reinforcing bars with protective zinc or zinc-alloy coatings applied by the continuous hot-dip process-for which the county intends to employ the Azz Galvabar product. The roads that will be replaced have rebar that is rusting out and slabs that are starting to move apart. "This presents a real problem, especially with motorcycles because there is a gap in between the pavement," Keierleber said. "Use of deicing salts isn't going to decrease, and the problems will accelerate. When we see problems, we have to address them." Standard specs have not worked as well as previously thought, so the county embraced use of HDG rebar. Now use of CGR in these upcoming road projects will provide even more of "the long-term durability" the county is seeking.
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