Rapid Replacement of Tangier Island Bridges Including Lightweight and Durable Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Deck Systems

摘要

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite cellular deck systems were used as new bridge decks on two replacement bridges on Tangier Island, Virginia. The most important characteristics of this application were reduced self-weight and increased durability for an FRP deck system over a reinforced concrete bridge deck. Tangier Island is in the Chesapeake Bay and is accessible only by water or air; each bridge is over saltwater. The two bridge deck systems used were from different manufacturers: Strongwell Corp. and Zellcomp, Inc. The deck system from Strongwell was virtually identical to a previous application by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in Covington, Virginia. Because of the extensive testing of this system conducted as part of a prior Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment project, further investigation of its behavior was not warranted. The objectives of the testing of the Zellcomp deck system were four-fold: (1) investigate connection behavior under simulated pseudo-static service load; (2) examine flexural strength and failure mode of connections and deck; (3) explore fatigue behavior during simulated cyclic wheel loading and residual strength after fatigue loading; and (4) investigate viability of transition connection. Two test sections were constructed in the Structures and Materials Laboratory at Virginia Tech. The test sections included sections of the Zellcomp deck attached to supporting steel stringers. The first was flat, 11 ft by 8 ft in plan, and subjected to static and simulated truck loadings. The second included a transition connection and was 17 ft by 8 ft in plan. Of special interest during this testing was the investigation of the static and cyclic behavior of all Zellcomp deck connections (top plate to supporting T-sections, T-section to T-section, and T-section to supporting stringers).