MM1018 – Blitz renovation on the highway!

At the end of 2020, we were once again commissioned to refurbish gantries. This time we went to the Bremen area for some gantries.

Previously, gaps and tolerances were noticed during the acceptance tests of the traffic sign gantries. After a close inspection of the end plate joints, it was determined that the transom-to-leg connections on three traffic sign gantries did not comply with the ZTV-ING (2012 version), which stipulates the following transom-to-leg connection in Part 9 Section 1 under 5.4 (3): “The transom-to-leg connection must be designed so that the transom rests on the entire surface. A full-surface connection can be assumed if a gap dimension of 1 mm is not exceeded at any point and the gap dimension over at least 2/3 of the base area is less than 0.5 mm.”

This gap compensation had to be carried out quickly, efficiently and in accordance with the current rules of technology in accordance with the ZTV-ING specifications. Among other things, a 100 % support had to be created and a force-fit connection established. In addition, fatigue strength was an important requirement.

We took on the entire job and applied for and awarded the contract for the highway closure ourselves. Thanks to a mobile barrier, all three areas to be worked on could be reached on the same day. Only one lane was closed for about 45 minutes at a time.

On the first day, the injection connections for the actual gap compensation were installed and the gap was sealed with our MM1018 Seal #2108, which also provides a force fit.

On the second day, we successfully carried out the gap injection with our MM1018 FL material, also known by the synonym liquid lining sheet. Our MM1018 FL has a compressive strength of 161 N/mm² and is therefore ideally suited to withstand the loads.

The compression swelling tests to determine the fatigue strength of gap compensation material in cooperation with the Institute for Building Materials Research (ibac) at RWTH Aachen University have shown that our material is demonstrably the most suitable.

As a result, we were once again able to ensure 100% gap filling by using our MM1018 FL and our tried and tested injection process, carried out by our trained personnel.