Steel-free bridge decks reinforced with FRP composites

Abstract

Successful utilization of advanced polymer composite materials in civil infrastructures have long been recognized in bridge deck applications. The concept of ‘steel-free’ in concrete bridge decks can be achieved by replacing the conventional steel reinforcement with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) based reinforcing materials. Reviewed in this chapter are steel-free bridge decks reinforced with these composite reinforcement in forms of round or square rods, 2-D or 3-D grids or gratings, flat or curved FRP plate, sandwich panel with foam/balsa/steel inserts, stiffened or corrugated stay-in-place formwork, and polymer decks.