Assessment of Bridge Technologies through Field Testing

The scope of this project was the assessment of new bridge structures utilizing conventional reinforced concrete (RC) and FRP technologies in order to demonstrate the viability of advanced construction methods aimed at improving constructability and long-term durability of the transportation infrastructure. A total of four bridges were load tested as part of this research project. The load tests on all structures allowed detecting differences in response as a result of the construction technology. In addition, a non-contact deflection monitoring method that makes use of a high performance Total Station System, commonly employed for high precision surveying, was used to remotely measure and record girder and deck displacements. This method to measure deflections was implemented on the four bridges and may be used also at a later time for long-term evaluation.

Bridges B200133 and B200134

The two bridges are located Waupun, Wisconsin. Bridge B200133 was constructed using an FRP reinforcement system which was designed to simulate the conventional steel rebar reinforcement system typically used in a concrete bridge deck. The FRP reinforcement system was composed of three components:

• FRP stay-in-place deck panel,
• FRP bi-directional grid, and
• FRP bars.

Built adjacent to Bridge B200133 with an FRP reinforced deck, is nominally identical to B200134 whose deck was reinforced with conventional steel bars. This structure serves as the benchmark for comparison studies to be conducted on the two decks.

Bridges B20148 and B20149

These bridges are located in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. Similarly to the first two bridges in Waupun , B20148 and B20149 were also constructed as ÿ₿Å"twinÿ₿? bridges: the former utilizing FRP bars as reinforcement and the latter using conventional steel reinforcement.

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