Current and Future Applications of Glass-Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Decks in Korea

Abstract

In comparison to concrete or steel bridge decks, glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) compos ite bridge deck is highly economical, since its lightweight property reduces initial construction cost for the foundation, and the high durability decreases the life-cycle cost for the bridges. Furthermore, the duration of construction is reduced significantly because of the short installation time of the lightweight GFRP composite decks. Korea is one of the leading countries in the construction of composite-deck bridges in recent years. In Korea, 13 road bridges (deck area = 15 917 m2) have been constructed and six more road bridges (deck area = 9747 m2) will be constructed in the near future. Furthermore, 19 footbridges (deck area = 14 921 m2) have been constructed to date and six more footbridges (deck area = 14 204 m2) will be constructed in the near future. Among them, there are two remarkable projects: the Noolcha Bridge in Busan Newport which was constructed with the world's largest composite-deck panel, which is 300 m long and 35 m wide, and the existing 1,7 km-long walkway of the Hangang Bridge in Seoul which was expanded from a width of 2,5 to 5 m by replacing the existing concrete decks with composite decks.