Monitoring of Long-Term Performance of Highway Bridge Columns Retrofitted byAdvanced Composite Jackets in Indiana

摘要

The service life of highway bridges is limited by the deterioration of theirsubstructure components. In the U.S., it is estimated that more than 240,000 (about 40%) of the highway bridges are functionally or structurally deficient. Repairing these deteriorated bridges using traditional methods is usually time-consuming and expensive. Furthermore, these methods are such that they can cause a number of problems, such as being a threat to public safety and severe traffic disruption. Thus, it is important that new safer and more efficient methods be developed. Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP) have a great potential to provide such a solution. Due to their superior material properties, such as corrosion-resistance and cost-effectiveness. FRP composite materials have been effectively used in a wide variety of applications in a number of industries. In recent years, prototype projects in civil infrastructure have demonstrated the effectiveness and the benefits of the use FRP in this industry. However, the long-term performance of FRP-wrapped columns, under severe environmental conditions has not yet been fully assessed, and thus requires further investigation. This research assesses their performance in terms of corrosion resistance and freeze-thaw effect. This has been accomplished through field monitoring, field inspection, and laboratory tests.