LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE OF A GLASS FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMER SLAB BRIDGE

摘要

This paper describes a detailed assessment of the structural safety, serviceability, capacity rating and long-term durability of a glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) vehicular slab bridge superstructure. This first all-GFRP slab bridge was installed in Korea on May the 22nd, 2002. The GFRP slab bridge superstructure is a simply supported, its length is 10.0 m, and is designed to carry two-lane traffic and has an overall width of 8.0m. The GFRP slab bridge is a sandwich structure with a corrugated core, fabricated by a hand lay-up process with E-glass fibers and vinyl ester resins. The assessment includes a visual inspection, field load testing identical to that performed in 2002. The field load testing under actual service conditions was conducted as specified by the Korean Highway Bridge Design Code. The assessment indicates that the GFRP slab bridge has no structural problems and is structurally performing well in-service as expected. The assessment may provide a baseline data for the GFRP slab bridge capacity rating assessment and also serve as part of a long-term performance of all-GFRP bridge superstructure.