Fiber-Reinforced Composite Bridge Decks in the USA

Highway departments across America are searching for ways to solve the nation's bridge problems. Engineers have turned to fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites as possible solutions. In West Virginia, a concrete bridge deck has been cast with FRP reinforcement bars. In Delaware, Kansas and West Virginia, several bridges have been constructed with FRP decks positioned above conventional substructures, and in Ohio and West Virginia composite material has been utilized for entire bridge structures. This paper presents a brief overview of FRP bridge construction.