Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites for Civil Infrastructure in the USA

The use of fiber-reinforced composites in civil infrastructure has increased dramatically over the past few years. In areas such as seismic retrofitting of columns and flexural strengthening of deteriorated or deficient reinforced concrete beams, this technology is being rapidly accepted as a competitive alternative to conventional methods. Research and field demonstrations in the area of bridge decks and new structural systems have also increased. A number of challenges still exist, however, before fiber-reinforced composites are widely accepted by the civil engineering community, including the development of codes and guidelines, the resolution of durability issues, and the education of engineers.