Title: Integral Abutment Bridges with FRP Decks – Case Studies
Abstract: To allow free expansion and contraction between superstructure and abutments, the traditional construction method has incorporated joints and bearings. But during in-service life of bridges, these joints and bearings become potential places for accumulation of debris and deicing chemicals, thereby weakening concrete and corroding steel stringers leading to high life cycle cost including maintenance cost. As a way to reduce initial and maintenance cost, engineers recommend building bridges without joints. Hence, transportation departments of various states in the U.S. have been building integral abutment bridges since the 1960’s. Over the years, these jointless bridges have proven to be successful and have shown good performance. The Constructed Facilities Center at West Virginia University (CFC-WVU) has expertise in designing integral abutment bridges with traditional concrete decks and also fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite decks. In this paper, the in-service performance evaluations of two integral abutments bridges (i.e., Market Street and Laurel Lick) with FRP decks have been highlighted. In addition, the behavior of an integral abutment bridge with FRP composite deck is correlated with the behavior of a jointless concrete deck bridge.
Publication Year: 2005
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 4
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