Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
The Evolution of
Advanced Polymer Composites
in the
Civil Infrastructure
Professor Len Hollaway
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Surrey
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
•In the civil infrastructure the interest in composites
commenced during the second world war with the
introduction of radomes.
•Between 1940 and the late 1960s composites had rather
a chequered career with one-off fun systems being made.
•By the late 1960s and into the 1970s composites were
being taken more seriously by the industry and systems
involving load bearing and infill units were being
produced. These were used in conjunction with skeletal
frameworks made from steel or reinforced concrete.
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
In 1974 the first all composite GFRP structure using the
building block method was a classroom structure
conceived and erected by Lancaster County Council.
The classroom system was made by hand lay-up using:
•Intumescent resins in the laminate external surface.
•An integral skin phenolic foam on the inside surface.
•CSM glass/polyester composite system.
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
GFRP Composite Class Room System 1974 conceived by Lancashire C.C.
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
In the mid 1980s and into the 1990s the development of
the first automated building block was undertaken by
Maunsell Structural Plastics.
Using this system the following All Polymer Composite
structures were manufactured:
1. Aberfeldy Bridge
2. Bonds Mill Bridge
3. Two storey building – used as offices at the 2nd
Seven Crossing.
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Maunsell Plank and Box Beam Cross-section
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Aberfeldy Footbridge Bridge
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Opening ceremony of the Bonds Mill Lift-bridge Gloucestershire
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Composite Bridge Decks
To replace conventional degraded deck systems in minimum time
the development of durable lightweight easy installation systems
have been produced in advanced composites.
The system may be used in two forms:
•Replacement for existing but deteriorated decks
•Used as new structural components on conventional or new
supporting structural elements
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
An all composite bridge deck being developed by a European
consortium (ASSET) - Section of ASSET deck unit
(By kind permission of Mouchel Consultants)
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Wickwire Run Bridge - Taylor County, West Virginia, USA
(By kind permission of Creative Pultrusions Inc Alum Bank, PA.)
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Upgrading and retrofitting of structures and structural units.
Structures may require to be strengthened for a number of reasons.
•Design deficiencies
•Inferior materials
•Poor construction, workmanship/management
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
There is a choice between strengthening [or demolition]
Flexural strengthening
•Bonding a plate onto the soffit of the beam
•Wrapping with a carbon fibre pultruded plate of prepreg wrap.
Shear strengthening
•Bonding a plate onto the vertical sides
•Wrapping prepreg around the sides and soffits and if possible
around the whole beam
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
CFRP Plate
Internal steel rebars
Thin layer of separated concrete
Exposed plate end
Typical mode of plate separation for a shear span/beam depth ratio of 4.0
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Prestressed carbon fibre/epoxy plate bonded to
soffit of cast iron beam (By kind permission of Mouchel Consulting)
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
General view of Hythe Bridge
(By kind permission of Mouchel Consulting)
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Pins
(a)
(b)
(c)
Various systems for wrapping FRP composite on to the sides of a Tee
RC beam.
(a) FRP wrapped entirely around the beam.
(b) FRP wrap in the form of a U (either with or without pin fixings
depending upon bond requirements).
(c) FRP wrap bonded to the two sides of the beam.
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Reinforced concrete
column
FRP jacket fibre in
horizontal
direction.
Main direction
of fibres (in the
hoop direction)
Wrapping of prepreg composite around concrete column
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Systems that combine advanced polymer composites with
conventional materials, in particular, concrete.
The objective is to use the two materials to their best advantage.
For instance:•Concrete is poor in tension
•Advanced polymer composite have high tensile strengths
•Concrete has a high compressive strength value
•Advanced Polymer composites have low compressive reactions
because of buckling of the unit, (assuming unit is a thin plate).
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
GFRP Permanent shuttering
Concrete
GFRP
CFRP
Hybrid GFRP/CFRP/concrete rectangular
Beam (after Meier & Trantafillou)
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
140
30
Two plies of +/- 45o GFRP
manufactured from
XLTM65U prepreg
CONCRETE
31.08
4mm plywood
plate
1.08
151.08
116.02
3.44
Eight plies of 0/90o
CFRP from
XLTM65U prepreg
80
: Cross-section of Tee beam of composite/concrete construction
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Concrete filled filament wound composite tubes
The advantages of these systems are :•Concrete core prevents buckling of the hollow FRP tube.
•FRP tube confines the concrete and increases strength and ductility.
•The best characteristics of the individual materials are utilised.
The system was developed for two reasons
1.
To produce non-corrosive columns and piles.
2.
To enhance the ductility of the system.
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Section of Carbon fibre shell girder showing girder to deck connection
(By kind permission of V. Karbhari and F Seible)
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Kings Stormwater Channel Bridge Salton Sea, California, USA
(By kind permission of V. Karbhari and Seible UCSD)
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
I-5/Gilman advanced technology bridge to link separate areas of the
Campus at University of California, San Diego, USA
(By kind permission of V. Karbhari and F. Seible UCSD)
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
Challenges of FRP material in the construction industry
•FRP materials have been successfully implemented
into infrastructure projects – but their long-term
durability (50+ years) required to be investigated.
•Substantial amounts of useful information do exist
but it is scattered and not easily accessible.
•Effects of sustained stress need to be considered.
•Effects of environment on ambient cure systems
need to be considered.
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey
Advanced Polymer Composites in the Civil Infrastructure
The
end
of
the
History
Lesson
Structural Composites Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering - Univ. of Surrey