Performance Evaluation of FRP Composite Deck Considering for Local Deformation Effects

Abstract

We examine here the replacement of a deteriorated concrete deck in the historic Hawthorne Street Bridge in Covington, Va. with a lightweight fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) deck system (adhesively bonded pultruded tube and plate assembly) to increase the load rating of the bridge. To explore construction feasibility, serviceability, and durability of the proposed deck system, a two-bay section (9.45 by 6.7 m ) of the bridge has been constructed and tested under different probable loading scenarios. Experimental results show that the response of the deck is linear elastic with no evidence of deterioration at service load level (HS-20). From global behavior of the bridge superstructure (experimental data and finite- element analysis), degree of composite action, and load distribution factors are determined. The lowest failure load ( 93.6 kips or 418.1 kN ) is about 4.5 times the design load ( 21.3 kips or 94 kN ), including dynamic allowance at HS-20. The failure mode is consistent in all loading conditions ...