Performance of a fiber reinforced polymer web core skew bridge superstructure. Part I: field testing and finite element simulations

• Published in: Composite structures Vol. 69; no. 4; pp. 491 - 499
• Main Authors: Aref, Amjad J., Alampalli, Sreenivas, He, Yihong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bridges; Buildings. Public works; Composite bridge superstructures; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP); Finite element analysis (FEA); Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Measurements. Technique of testing; Physics; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Skew bridges; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Technology of polymers; Skew bridges; Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP); Composite bridge superstructures; Finite element analysis (FEA); Molding; Polymer fibers; Fiber reinforced material; Sandwich structure; Reinforced plastics; Simple support; Modeling; Composite material; Finite element method; Bridges; Fibre reinforced plastics; Bridge deck; Structural analysis
• ISSN: 0263-8223; 1879-1085
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2004.08.006

The structural behavior of a fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) web core skew bridge superstructure is studied in this two-part paper. The two-lane bridge is a simply supported superstructure with a 7.807 m span, 10.071 m wide and a 30° skew angle. The FRP bridge deck is a sandwich structure with a two-way web core matrix and faceskins, fabricated by a molding process with E-glass fibers and vinylester resins. Four field tests have been performed since then. In this first part, the bridge structural configurations and the field test results are presented. A finite element model is developed and validated by field testing to simulate the bridge structural behavior. The comparison of the field testing and numerical simulation results shows a good agreement and bridge is performing as designed.