Development and Performance Evaluation ofrnFiber Reinforced Polymer Bridge

摘要

Conventionally, highway bridge decks in the US are predominantly made of steel-reinforced concrete. However, repair andrnmaintenance costs of these bridges incurred at the federal and state levels are overwhelming. As a result, for many years, therernhas been pressure on transportation agencies to fi nd new cost-eff ective and reliable construction materials. A very promisingrnalternative is the fi ber reinforced polymer (FRP) bridge deck system. FRP composites have found increasing applications in bridgerndesign and construction. Light weight, high strength and stiff ness, durability, and ease of construction are major advantages ofrnFRP material. Meanwhile, issues such as high initial construction cost, lack of design guidelines or standards, and the materials’rnsensitivity to ultraviolet radiation, etc. do still stand against FRP’s widespread application.