A novel connection for fibre reinforced polymer bridge decks: Conceptual design and experimental investigation

Abstract

Citation for the published paper: Mara, V. ; Al-Emrani, M. ; Haghani, R. (2014) "A novel connection for fibre reinforced polymer bridge decks: Conceptual design and experimental investigation". Composite structures, vol. 117 pp. 83-97. http://dx. ABSTRACTIn the past two decades, the use of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) decks has attracted a great deal of attention when it comes to the refurbishment of existing bridges and the construction of new ones. FRP materials offer superior properties, such as high specific strength and stiffness, light weight, high fatigue and corrosion resistance and good durability. Because of their low self-weight and prefabrication potential, FRP composites lend themselves to accelerated bridge construction, thereby leading to minimised traffic interference. However, one challenge that is posed by FRP deck systems is the detailing and design of panel level connections. Today, a common practice for joining deck panels on site is adhesive bonding, which compromises the benefit of rapid FRP deck installation due to the time-restricted curing required for structural adhesives. As a result, there is a need for the development of joints which enable more rapid assembly. In this paper, a novel joint configuration for panel level connections is proposed. Numerical analyses and static experimental tests were conducted to evaluate the behaviour and load-carrying capacity of the connection. The overall investigation showed that the presented joint concept is a potential alternative for panel level connections in FRP decks.

An Interval-Valued Pythagorean Fuzzy Compromise Approach with Correlation-Based Closeness Indices for Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis of Bridge Construction Methods

“…Selecting an appropriate bridge construction method involves numerous and complex criteria and entails challenging technical operations, particularly in regions featuring complicated geological structures or frequent natural disasters [2,6,14,15,28]. To illustrate the uncertainties that exist in the intricate decision environment, this study attempts to develop a new MCDA approach involving a novel application of IVPF set theory to describe the uncertainties of decision-making according to the degrees of membership and nonmembership that are represented by flexible interval values that reflect the degree of hesitation.…”

“…Until recently, some compromise methods have been employed to investigate relevant issues of bridge design and construction. For example, Mara et al [28] proposed a joint configuration for panel-level 3 Complexity connections to compromise the benefit of a rapid fiberreinforced polymer deck installation in bridge construction. Penadés-Plà et al [2] reviewed different methods and sustainable criteria used for decision-making at each life-cycle phase of a bridge, from design to recycling or demolition.…”

Pultruded materials and structures: A review

“…FRP bridge decks are mainly made of E-glass fibers and thermosetting resins such as polyester (owing to their low cost) and vinylester (preferable material used in moist environments 6 ). This solution has proved its efficiency owing to the advantages of light weight, 18,25,[33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46] high strength, 6,18,25,34,36,40,41,[45][46][47][48][49][50][51] and improved durability. 34,36,45,46,48,49,[52][53][54][55] Moreover, the benefits of FRP decks include corrosion resistance 18,25,35,36,47,52 and, therefore, longer service life 33 while still demonstrating lower life-cycle costs.…”

FEM-Based Numerical Strategy for Analysis of Composite Modular Floor Prototype for Emergency Housing Applications

“…Furthermore, sandwich elements present higher corrosion resistance than other conventional materials [8].The efficiency of composite sandwich panels was investigated by different researchers in various applications: cladding [9], facades [10,11], roofing [12] , walls [13] and emergency housing [14]. Different techniques for connecting FRP panels in modular housing systems [15,16] and bridge decks [17][18][19][20][21] are documented in the literature.…”