Numerical and experimental validation of the static performance of a full-scale flax fiber-polyester composite bridge model to support the design of an innovative footbridge

Abstract

This paper deals with the numerical and experimental analysis of a large-scale footbridge model made of flax fiber-reinforced polyester composite. The goal of this work was to support the design of the 15 m span flax-polyester footbridge installed at the Floriade Expo 2022 in Almere, the Netherlands. The model stacking sequence, thicknesses, material, and vacuum infusion technology are identical to those of the footbridge. For the numerical analysis, a multi-layered laminate was modeled using ABAQUS with a composite layup and continuous shell elements. The model was equipped with 16 embedded fiber-optic Bragg grating (FBG) sensors for strain sensing and mechanical evaluation. The specimen was subjected to monotonic loading and unloading. Numerical results were compared with those obtained from the load test. The good agreement revealed the correctness of the assumptions. This study provides a design methodology based on numerical and experimental investigation, to overcome uncertainties derived from the application of this innovative material for load-bearing applications in footbridges.