Possible Application of FRP Bridges in Renovation and Replacement Task of Rijkswaterstaat

An increasing number of existing bridges no longer comply to current standards or have become functionally obsolete. Complete renovation is costly, time-consuming, results in disruption of traffic and is not sustainable. Current repair alternatives are often time-consuming and heavy in weight. In addition to existing methods, fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) could provide a repair alternative whereby applying a FRP deck will relieve the main girders and can mean that the greater part of the existing bridge can remain. The lifespan of existing structures can be longer extended. This offers new technical and strategic possibilities for the major renovation and replacement task of bridge structures of Rijkswaterstaat, explained in this paper. An updated version of the Dutch CUR-96 recommendation on the design of FRP structures was published in 2018 and an English translation in 2019. This document offers an improved framework and guidelines and is comparable to the Eurocodes regarding concrete and steel structures at material level. The recommendation may therefore be regarded as a desirable basis for the development of a Eurocode for FRP composite structures. Like other road authorities, Rijkswaterstaat is looking into the possibility of replacing current bridge deck structures of highway structures with FRP decks, mainly due to the favorable weight and durability performance. Various already applied FRP structures in Europe demonstrate the possibilities and value of its application.