A concise state-of-the-art survey of fiber-reinforced polymer ͑also known as fiber-reinforced plastic͒ composites for construction applications in civil engineering is presented. The paper is organized into separate sections on structural shapes, bridge decks, internal reinforcements, externally bonded reinforcements, and standards and codes. Each section includes a historical review, the current state of the art, and future challenges.

This paper describes the development and application of fiber optic sensors for monitoring bridge structures. Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) have been used to measure static and dynamic loads on bridge decks and columns, including composite repairs for rehabilitation purposes. A new long gage concept that permits overall average strains to be measured has also been developed with gage lengths varying from 1-20 m. These gages can be bonded to the concrete structure or imbedded in the composite repair patch. Six projects undertaken by ISIS Canada to incorporate fiber optic sensing to monitor the structural health of bridges in Canada are described. Data will be presented for several bridges that indicate a measure of system reliability over several years in a hostile environment. The benefits of fiber optic sensors will be highlighted.

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Fiber reinforced polymer ͑FRP͒ materials are currently produced in different configurations and are widely used for the strengthening and retrofitting of concrete structures and bridges. Recently, considerable research has been directed to characterize the use of FRP bars and strips as near surface mounted reinforcement, primarily for strengthening applications. Nevertheless, in-depth understanding of the bond mechanism is still a challenging issue. This paper presents both experimental and analytical investigations undertaken to evaluate bond characteristics of near surface mounted carbon FRP ͑CFRP͒ strips. A total of nine concrete beams, strengthened with near surface mounted CFRP strips were constructed and tested under monotonic static loading. Different embedment lengths were used to evaluate the development length needed for effective use of near surface mounted CFRP strips. A closed-form analytical solution is proposed to predict the interfacial shear stresses. The model is validated by comparing the predicted values with test results as well as nonlinear finite element modeling. A quantitative criterion governing the debonding failure of near surface mounted CFRP strips is established. The influence of various parameters including internal steel reinforcement ratio, concrete compressive strength, and groove width is discussed.

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