Plastic composites to build a bridge to bring revolution

When the Department of Transportation in Washington, DC decided to rebuild the three old bridges , helpless engineers thought of using plastics as a solution. Where an old bridge with a 110 -year-old must be replaced with a thin main deck , but need bearing 4000 vehicles, including semi-trailer trucks.
The solution is : with a five- inch-thick fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bridge deck instead of concrete slabs and steel beams .

Mark Clabaugh project manager , said in an e-mail with an ordinary deck than enhanced , the bridge thinner . This is the advantage of FRP bridge deck . This helps to reduce the overall depth of the bridge superstructure .

Located in Dayton , Ohio Composite Advantage provides the injection molding of glass fiber span , with Ashland Inc. Vinyl ester resin -based company called Derakane 610 supplies made ​​together.

Company owner Scott Reeve said in a telephone interview , the technical side, the bridge requires a very low depth , low thickness. Sometimes there are sightseeing cruises through the bridge , of course, but also consider the fluctuations in the water .

The company is the United States a few bridges with large manufacturers producing parts , 20 feet from the bridge to the last installed in Massachusetts a vehicular world's largest FRP bridge deck .

Reeve said: "People do not want to dismantle these historic bridges, but they have been unable to withstand the weight of a modern truck heavy concrete deck removed , and replaced with a lightweight fiberglass deck , trucks can normally through the bridge . , but also to retain the original look, we are very happy and this is what our products can play a role in where we can bring great value to help solve the problem . "

Toll budget

FRP bridge deck is at the core , because it has strong enough to eliminate bridge load limit users , and lightweight enough .

8 inch thick FRP deck can load 25 pounds per square foot , while the standard 9.5 inches thick concrete slab can load 119 pounds per square foot .

But FRP deck expensive, so the costs are still many obstacles to overcome the main bridge .

But it can save a lot of costs on maintenance , but the bridge can be used longer. These bridges can be maintained for more than 75 years. Not eroded any factors. Although the initial expense may be more than doubled , but also extend its life doubled.Sellotape


FRP bridge to reduce or even eliminate the need to maintain the characteristics of composite materials is increasing the attractiveness and growing number of projects throughout the United States and have been used in the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Throughout the United States

There are about 604,000 U.S. bridges , of which 11.7% had defects in the structure , carrying element too old , while 14.2 percent of the bridge when the function too , reach for the current lane , road shoulders and guardrail design standards.

Although the United States has various problems 25.9% of the bridge , but compared to the 30.7 percent figure for 2000 has improved .Washi tape


University at Buffalo Bridge Engineering Institute , said there are currently more than 125 bridges using composite materials as a deck or superstructure .

Spokesperson Nancy Singer said in an email , the main advantage of FRP bridge lies the material less susceptible to corrosion .

She also referred to the rapid construction of pre-designed and prefabricated FRP bridge decks , and through simple mechanical transported to the installation site on the spot . Without waiting for the concrete sets , thereby reducing transportation costs and labor costs.Masking tape


However , in addition to the cost , there is another potential disadvantage .

Singer said that people worried polymer fiber composites after long-term exposure to UV light performance suffers .

FRP bridge put into use history is not long . America 's first composite bridge for public transport in November 1996 was built in Kansas .Wholesale masking tape