摘要: |
New York engineers have been seeking alternatives to steel and concrete for bridge construction and rehabilitation that may be less vulnerable to environmental damage. In addition, rising public concerns about traffic delays experienced during the construction have increasingly influenced engineers to design bridges with materials and details that can be built rapidly. At the same time, life-cycle costs must be competitive with traditional materials because of limited resources available to maintain the highway infrastructure. Fiber-reinforced-polymer (FRP) composites are one such alternative material. New York has recently begun using and evaluating FRPs for bridge repair to strengthen deteriorated components, remove load postings, and prolong service life. This report describes one such application, that allowed a bridge superstructure to be replaced in significantly less time than a conventional bridge project, in a cost-effective manner. The bridge design, fabrication, installation, proof-testing, long-term monitoring program, and cost-benefit details are documented in this report. |