Structural limits of FRP-balsa sandwich decks in bridge construction

摘要

The span limits of two glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bridge concepts involving GFRPbalsarnsandwich plates are discussed. The sandwich plates were either used directly as slab bridgesrnor as decks of a hybrid sandwich-steel girder bridges. In the latter case, the potential of thernsandwich decks to replace reinforced concrete (RC) decks was also evaluated. Taking the limits ofrnmanufacturing into account (800 mm slab thickness), maximum bridge spans of approximately 19rnm can be reached with FRP-balsa sandwich slab bridges, if a carbon-FRP (CFRP) arch is integratedrninto the balsa core. Above this limit, hybrid sandwich-steel girder bridges can be used up to spans ofrn30 m. RC deck replacement requires timber and steel plate inserts into the balsa core above the steelrngirders. GFRP-balsa sandwich slabs or decks exhibit full composite action between lower and upperrnface sheets.