The following article describes carbon fiber’s role in the repair of bridges within Georgia.
from Tech Transfer Newsletter, Repairs made with high-performance materials make Bridges stronger and last longer.
by Rick Deaver, Abdul-Hamid Zureick and Brian Summers Field and lab studies conducted in Georgia prove that carbon fiber composites are able to be efficiently and effectively used to increase bridge strength and life-time – with little or no interruption to traffic.
High-Performance Parts
The 1950s were the time when the aerospace industry began to make use of carbon fibers to develop high-performance parts with more strength and stiffness and lightweight, in addition to the reduction in heat. Carbon fibers are between 8 to 10 times stronger than steel, however, they weigh 5 times less and the reinforced composite is not susceptible to corrosion, unlike aluminum or steel.
Since the past 10 years European countries, as well as Japan and Japan as well as Japan, as well as the United States have used polymer composite material technology to foundation repair Utah, replace bridge components and to rehabilitate them. The composite components used in the construction of bridges are manufacture either in a workshop of helical issues or in a field manufacture.
Problems
Many U.S. bridges are near the end of their life and will need to replace or fixed. Both of these options can be costly and can cause delays and disruptions to motorists. Finding efficient and cost-effective ways of prolonging bridges’ lifespan and creating the minimum amount of traffic disruptions is an absolute necessity.
Solution
Application of Carbon Fiber Fabric on Georgia SR 2
Application of Carbon Fiber Fabric on Georgia SR 2
In 1996 in 1996, The Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) working in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration. Abdul-Hamid Zureick from the Georgia Institute of Technology started research in the field and lab to investigate Carbon Fiber Rehabilitation of a composite of bridges suggesting the design and the construction standards for solving helical issues. The lab studies involve testing bridge decks that were full-size as well as caps and beams for bridge piers. The results of one study found that, on average, bridge decks that were renovate and construct with carbon-composite composites displayed 33 percent more resistance to bending than the bridge decks which did not include carbon composites.
Georgia DOT determine to investigate the possibility of carbon fibers being use for the repair of bridge decks, bridge caps as well as girders. A first study about Utah helical piers was conduct on the State. Route (SR) 2 bridge that crosses the Conasauga River Overflow, east of Ringgold in north Georgia. The bridge, which was construct with two lanes in 1957 and is 350 feet in length and features 10 piers.
Carbon-Reinforcing Materials
Two contractors replaced one cap of the bridge in the Spring of 1997 using field-manufactured composites. One contractor used carbon-reinforcing materials that weighed 9 oz/yd. the other used a more heavy carbon-reinforcing. A mechanically epoxy-impregnated composite that is 18oz/yd2. After the surface was prepare for concrete. Several epoxy injections and repairs to spalls were performing. The epoxy primer layer and the carbon fiber material were set up by hand.
Through laboratory tests lab tests the strength of similar. Repaired pier caps was higher than the strength of the original by about 25 percent. The anchor bolts were weaker prior to failure in the caps of pilings. Tests of static loads conducted using SR 2 showed. The repair of the helical issue succeeded in limiting the concrete’s load and shifting load. Tests in the laboratory also determined the most effective patterns to wrap material for caps of the piers’ caps.
