Development and Demonstration of Advanced Design Composite Structural Components

Composite materials have been demonstrated to be effective in high-performance applications where traditional materials fail, especially in aggressively corrosive environments. Many corrosion-resistant applications are industrial load-bearing elements, but the construction industry has mainly used c...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Howdyshell, Paul A, Trovillion, Jonathan C, GangaRao, Hota V, Lopez-Anido, Roberto
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Civil Engineering
COMMERCE
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
CONSTRUCTION
CORROSION RESISTANCE
FIBER REINFORCEMENT
Laminates and Composite Materials
LIFE CYCLE COSTS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PERFORMANCE(ENGINEERING)
POLYMERS
REINFORCED CONCRETE
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Summary:Composite materials have been demonstrated to be effective in high-performance applications where traditional materials fail, especially in aggressively corrosive environments. Many corrosion-resistant applications are industrial load-bearing elements, but the construction industry has mainly used composites in nonstructural applications. Most fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have not been optimized for civil engineering applications, and conventional civil engineering design procedures may not effectively exploit the unique mechanical properties of FRP composites or adequately define potential failure mechanisms. The objective of this work was to develop, test, and demonstrate optimized, advanced-design composite structural components for civil engineering applications. First, new glass FRP fiber architectures were developed, tested, and optimized. Next, using the optimized fiber architecture, a pultruded interlocking hexagonal structural system called the H-Deck was designed, tested, and compared with performance standards published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Finally, two short-span FRP composite H-deck demonstration bridges were successfully constructed. Detailed results from the testing and optimization phases of the study are documented, and economic analysis suggests that life-cycle costs for properly selected FRP composite H-Deck applications will be lower than for comparable reinforced concrete applications. Information on the commercial availability of the composite H-Deck system is also provided.