James Cast

Headquarters, Washington, DC November 18, 1996

(Phone: 202/358-1779)

Dave Drachlis
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL
(Phone: 205/544-0034)

RELEASE: 96-242

SPACE SHUTTLE TECHNOLOGY LEADS TO A CHEAPER,

BETTER AND FASTER WAY TO RESURFACE BRIDGES

The era when it takes two-to-three days for workers to

resurface a bridge as commuters crawl and sometimes sit in
heavy traffic may be over thanks to NASA, the Alabama
Department of Transportation and USBI Co.,Huntsville, AL.

An environmentally friendly spray system developed from

Space Shuttle technology was used to quickly apply a non-skid
surface to a bridge south of Huntsville, AL. Four hours
after the surface was applied, traffic was again crossing the
bridge.

Using the spray process, researchers completed the

resurfacing job in a fraction of the time conventional
methods take. Once the surface is prepared, the current
method requires workers to apply a resin system to the
roadway, manually lay down a coat of gravel or non-skid
materials and finally apply a second coat of resin. This
new process does the entire job in one pass.

NASAÕs Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, and

USBI designed the resurfacing tool, which uses a USBI-
developed Convergent Spray Technologies spray process and
nozzle. The Convergent Spray Technologies process is
currently used to apply a heat-resistant coating to the
Shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters.

"Not only does it shorten the job, but the process does
not harm the environment. It uses a solvent-free spray,
significantly reducing hazardous waste normally associated
with most spray applications," said Kyle Hamlin, materials
engineer at USBI.

Another plus for the environment is that common and

recycled filler materials and common resin systems can be
used with the spray equipment. For this project,
investigators used a mixture of ground flint and resin to
resurface the bridge. The new coating provides a higher
grade of traction and will better protect the bridge from
erosion than current bridge coatings.

"This project gives us the opportunity to evaluate a new

pollution-prevention technology and to try out different
adhesives and filler materials which could be used for other
NASA programs," said Vernotto McMillan, a technical manager
at Marshall.

"We wanted to take existing NASA technology and develop

it for use in other NASA and commercial applications, then
demonstrate that its use affords a cheaper, better and faster
product," he said.

The bridge resurfacing project is a product of a 1994

agreement between Marshall and the Federal Highway
Administration's Region 4 office for the Southeastern United
States. Marshall and its contractors agreed to provide
innovative technology derived from the space program and put
it to use for a variety of highway applications, including
corrosion resistant coatings for metal bridges and non-skid
surface treatment for pavements.

This multi-use time and money-saving process could have

many applications. So far, investigators are evaluating
applications of low-solvent coatings on low-slope roofs for
commercial buildings and working with a food company to spray
toppings on snack foods.

"The successful commercial adaptation of this space

program technology is yet another example that shows
America's space program is paying off for American business
and industry," said Harry G. Craft Jr., manager of the
technology transfer office at Marshall.

"Technologies developed for the nation's space program by

NASA and its contractors are now at work in thousands of
American firms, benefiting millions of Americans," he said.

-end-