I-96 Rapid Patch

Deteriorating conditions including multiple distress symptoms were observed on sections of the I-96/I-275 corridor between approximately Kensington Road (exit 151) & Novi Road (exit 162). This is a segment of a main route used for travel between the Detroit and Lansing areas, and is one of the heaviest traveled roadways in Michigan. MDOT decided to replace the highly distressed pavement sections with full depth concrete repairs. 

During the repairs, any highway restrictions, including extended lane closures, would create potential for massive traffic congestion posing safety concerns for the driving public and also have a financial impact on the area. This project occurred concurrently with the I-96 fix, a separate nearby project in which a section of I-96 was completely closed, thus creating additional pressures for limiting lane closures. 

To minimize the negative impact on traffic, all repairs were required to be completed during night hours and the road had to re-open to traffic within 5 hours of placement. Typical concrete roadway patching mixes have not performed well due to the severe Michigan winters. 

The concrete requirements included achieving high early strength to ensure the roadway could re-open on time. Michigan DOT and the University of Michigan conducted a study and concluded that concrete patching mixes using Sika® Rapid-1 outperformed other current conventional patching mixes. Typically, roadways repaired using this mix design with Sika® Rapid-1 can be opened to traffic within 5 hours versus 12 to 24 hours for other patching mixes. As a result, Sika® Rapid-1 is now specified by Michigan DOT 

Sika® Rapid-1 provides high early strength with minimal slump loss. This allowed for easy concrete placement and for minimal lane restrictions. The mix exhibited a high level of consistency with no rejected loads due to slump and/or air outside the specification. All lane re-openings occurred on time.