Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Bars for Reinforcement in Bridge Decks (9-1520-S)

Conventional steel reinforcement tends to corrode in aggressive environments. The resulting corrosion products take up more volume than the original base steel. As the steel reinforcement continue to expand and place tensile forces on the concrete surrounding the reinforcements. Because concrete exhibits low tensile capacity, the corrosion products cause the concrete to crack and spall. Cracking and spalling of concrete bridge decks result in reduced service life and unsafe driving conditions. Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials do not exhibit the typical expansion associated with steel corrosion and could thus, if engineered properly, be an effective reinforcement material to extend the service life of the nation's bridge decks (and possibly other bridge components).