Strengthening of Steel Girder Bridges Using FRP

Abstract

This paper documents two projects funded through the Federal Highway Administration’s Innovative Bridge Research and Construction (IBRC) program. The IBRC program was developed to assist bridge owners in applying emerging technologies in bridge engineering. In these projects, the Iowa Department of Transportation employed techniques for strengthening steel girder bridges using carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). Two bridges were strengthened using CFRP composite materials in an effort to improve the live load carrying capacity of the bridges. In one case, a bridge was strengthened using CFRP post-tensioning rods in the positive moment regions. In the other case, a bridge was strengthened by installing CFRP plates to the bottom flange of girders in the positive moment regions. Key words: beam―carbon fiber reinforced polymer―strengthening