New Bridge Composite Twice as Strong as Concrete and Steel
Emily Pollock posted on July 31, 2018 |
The University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center tests the strength of their new composite girders at a ceremony on July 12th. (Image courtesy of University of Maine.)
Researchers at the University of Maine have developed a lightweight composite bridge that is twice as strong as steel and concrete bridge girders.
In a mid-July demonstration, the university’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center tested a 21-foot span of the composite with computer-controlled hydraulic equipment that can simulate the weight of highway traffic. The test was necessary to ensure that the bridge passed American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Bridge Design Specifications, and it succeeded with flying colours.
“Today’s bridge test exceeded our expectations,” said Habib Dagher, executive director of the Center. “The composite bridge withstood forces equivalent to more than 80 cars stacked on top of each other, and more than 5 times the HL 93 design load specified by AASHTO. The composite bridge girder exceeded twice the collapse strength of steel and concrete girders.”
The design is made up of lightweight composite FRP girders connected to precast concrete panels, a system which the team says can allow a bridge to be built in as little as three days. The composite is an undisclosed blend that involves…