Strategic development and deployment of a composite bridge deck

All U.S. states have bridges with deficient decks. Many of these structures were built as part of the interstate highway system and the concrete decks on some of these bridges have already exceeded their expected service life. While these decks can be replaced in-kind, an alternative that is emerging recently is the use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite decks. FRP decks have been shown capable of meeting the same structural requirements as concrete decks, while providing a highly durable system that has the potential to last for the remaining useful life of the bridge. These decks provide an additional benefit of reducing the dead load, thereby freeing up capacity for higher live loads or extending the service life of an existing superstructure without expensive rehabilitation. Since 2000, New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) has funded a series of research projects that has led to the development of a hybrid bridge deck that can be prefabricated with composite materials and concrete. Prototypes tested at the University at Buffalo (UB) have performed superbly in flexure (strength and deflection), punching shear, bearing, and fatigue. Recently U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has funded a "Highways for LIFE (HfL) - Technology Partnerships" Project to identify the most cost-effective means of producing a composite bridge deck design for moveable bridges. BridgeComposites, LLC, is leading a team that is charged with driving down the deck's initial cost while sorting out some issues (such as the durability of wearing surfaces) that have plagued past composite decks in the U.S. This paper summarizes the research that NYSDOT undertook to investigate the structural characteristics of the hybrid deck to ensure that the deck design is ready for deployment. It also presents a work plan for the current FHWA project that focuses on its fabrication.