Retrofit of Existing Reinforced Concrete Bridges with Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites
| Author | : |
| Publisher | : |
| Total Pages | : |
| Release | : 2004 |
| ISBN-10 | : OCLC:54927957 |
| ISBN-13 | : |
| Rating | : 4/5 ( Downloads) |
Download or read book Retrofit of Existing Reinforced Concrete Bridges with Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) plates and fabrics have emerged as viable systems for retrofitting of existing reinforced concrete members with insufficient capacity. The results from previous research, conducted predominately on newly cast laboratory specimens, have been used to develop design guidelines. Detailed testing and evaluation of aged members retrofitted with FRP systems are very limited. This research is conducted to fill this gap. A 45-year old, three-span reinforced concrete slab bridge with insufficient capacity was retrofitted with 76.2 and 127-mm wide CFRP plates, 102-mm wide bonded CFRP plates with mechanical anchors at the ends, and bonded CFRP fabrics. Using four systems in one bridge provided an opportunity to evaluate field installation issues, and long-term performance of each system under identical traffic and environmental conditions. Through controlled truckload tests, the response of the bridge before retrofitting, shortly after retrofitting, and after one year of service was measured. The FRP system's stiffness was small in comparison to the stiffness of the bridge deck, therefore the measured deflections did not noticeably change after retrofitting. The measured strains suggest participation of the FRP systems, and more importantly the strength of the retrofitted bridge was increased. Detailed three-dimensional finite element models of the original and retrofitted bridge was developed and calibrated based on the measured deflections. Those models were used to calculate the rating factors and the corresponding load limits, which increased by 22% after retrofitting. In view of the increased capacity and performance of the bridge, load limits were removed and normal traffic was resumed.
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