Practical applications of advanced composite materials on bridges and other civil engineering structures

Early applications of advanced composite materials (ACM) on bridges were primarily for seismic upgrade applications on columns. Testing conducted on large scale columns at the University of California at San Diego demonstrated the effectiveness of ACM in increasing column shear strength, flexural strength and ductility with minimum increase in stiffness. The Northridge earthquake further demonstrated ACM effectiveness on two separate column applications in the Los Angeles area that were retrofitted prior to the quake. In both cases the columns retrofitted with ACM were undamaged and thus prevented any further damage to the structures. While the seismic possibilities of ACM have been well documented, engineers soon began to realize the non-seismic applications for repair and strengthening of structural members. In addition to columns ACM have been used to strengthen beams, slabs, piles, girders, docks, pipes and chimneys just to name a few of the applications. Industrial applications of ACM have increased dramatically over the past few years. Plant expansions and modifications have posed serious problems for structural engineers due to lack of space and interfering with plant operations. ACM have given designers a new cost effective tool to strengthen and rehabilitate columns, beams, slabs and walls in a quick and inexpensive manner while minimizing or eliminating unscheduled shut downs of the facility. Other areas where ACM are currently being used are in the corrosion environments of coastal marine areas, highway bridges where deicing chlorides are used, chemical plants and refineries and chimney applications. With this ever expanding list of potential areas ACM usage will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.