摘要: |
Conservation science can provide valuable information to the field of highway research and development. Transferring what has been learned in the conservation of art and architecture to the renewal of the transportation infrastructure is possible because of three similar actions. These actions are understanding the causes of deterioration, inspecting the work nondestructively, and prescribing the most suitable methods for treatment or restoration. Deterioration science, which studies the long-term behavior of materials in the environment, is illustrated in a series of notable photographs and figures. The Statue of Liberty in New York, New York, and the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, are two of the examples. The article continues by describing renewal engineering, that is, the repair or strengthening of damaged structures. Application of renewal engineering principles will be important in the conservation of historic roads and bridges as the Nation's interstate highway system reaches its fiftieth year. |