Fatigue and Strength Evaluation of Two Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Bridge Decks
Publication: Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 15, Issue 3
Abstract
The use of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bridge decks is appealing for applications where minimizing dead load is critical. This paper describes fatigue and strength testing of two types of GFRP decks being considered for use in the retrofit of an aging steel arch bridge in Snohomish County, Washington, where a roadway expansion is necessary and it is desirable to minimize the improvements to the arch superstructure. Each test used a setup designed to be as close as practicable to what will be the in situ conditions for the deck, which included a 2% cross slope for drainage. The fatigue testing consisted of a single 116 kN (26 kip) load applied for 2 million cycles, which corresponds to an AASHTO HS-25 truck with a 30% impact factor, and the strength testing consisted of multiple runs of a monotonically applied minimum load of 347 kN (78 kips). Results from the fatigue testing indicated a degradation of the stiffness of both deck types; however, the degradation was limited to less than 12% over the duration of loading. Further, the results showed both deck types accumulated permanent deck displacement during fatigue loading and one deck type used a detail with poor fatigue performance. That detail detrimentally impacted the overall deck performance and caused large permanent deck deformations. It was also found that degradation of composite behavior between the deck and girders occurs during fatigue loading and should be included in design.
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Acknowledgments
The writers gratefully acknowledge the support of the Snohomish County Department of Public Works and David Evans and Associates, Inc. However, any opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations presented in this paper are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Bridge Engineering
Volume 15 • Issue 3 • May 2010
Pages: 290 - 301
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Aug 4, 2008
Accepted: Nov 6, 2008
Published online: Apr 15, 2010
Published in print: May 2010
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