Design and construction of short-span bridge with fiber reinforcedd plastic materials

摘要

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials were used to develop a short-span bridge deck system.The FRP deck cross-section and fiber architecture were designed for highway bridge loads.FRP composite deck modules,beams,piles and panels were fabricated by pultrusion.A short-span demonstration bridge,Laurel Lick bridge,was constructed in West Virginia in may 1997.The abutments were made of FRP piles and multi-cellular panels with a reinforced concrete cap beam.The all-composite superstructure is made of the deck modules supported by longitudinal wide-flange beams.The FRP structural elements are connected using a high performance adhesive and blind fasteners.A second demonstration bridge,Wickwire Run bridge,with a FRP deck supported by steel beams is currently under construction.This paper describes the development of the FRP bridge structure and discusses issues related to design,fabrication and construction.