Preservation of Missouri Transportation Infrastructure - Validation of FRP Composite Technology through Field Testing: Reports

The technology for strengthening existing bridge structures using fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) is well founded with many international guides now available. However, the transfer of this technology to bridge owners and practitioners has been slow in coming. In order to make these technologies available to bridge owners and practitioners, the University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR) and MoDOT joined in a cooperative research project to perform validation through field testing. Five-bridge strengthening program in which five variations of composite technology were implemented to develop a comprehensive case study addressing assessment of deficiency, design, construction, load rating and long-term monitoring. The bridges were selected in consultation with the respective District Offices, in order to allow a wide geographical spread of the project. None of the bridges were chosen on the same route.

Bridges named X-0596, P-0962, T-0530, X-0495 are of the "T-beam†reinforced concrete (RC) type and only bridge Y-0298 is of the "solid slab†RC type. Of the four T-beam bridges, one has a four-girder supported RC deck (T-0530), while the others (X-0596, P-0962, X-0495) have a three-girder supported RC deck. Of the latter group, two (X-0596, X-0495) are practically identical in terms of superstructure geometry and design (including age), but one (X-0596) was in worse condition than the other (X-0495).

Five different technologies were used for this validation, namely: FRP sheets and Steel Reinforced Polymer (SRP) applied by manual lay-up; pre-cured FRP laminates; near surface mounted (NSM) FRP bars; and, Mechanically Fastened (MF) FRP laminates. More than one strengthening technique was used for each bridge as showed in the table below:

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