| Fiber Reinforced Polymeric (FRP) composites are being implemented as structural elements in the bridge deck construction in lieu of conventional bridge decks. In this study a 4&inches; thick low profile FRP bridge deck module made of F-glass fiber and vinyl ester resin, having fiber volume fraction of approximately 50% and weighing about 10 lb/ft2 was developed. The focus of this study was to evaluate the structural performance of the low-profile FRP decks and determine its adequacy under AASHTO's HS25 loading. The bridge deck module was also tested as a beam bending element with edge-wise orientation, and was structurally evaluated. The structural properties, such as stiffness and strength were obtained for the 4&inches; deep x 24&inches; wide multicellular FRP composite component, which can be used as a deck, and also as a beam with 24&inches; direction as the depth direction. The experimental test results of the deck and beam were correlated with theoretical evaluations using approximate classical lamination theory. Static and fatigue response of two types of low-profile FRP bridge deck-steel stringer system was studied. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
