Book Description

Abstract: The primary objective of this chapter is first to introduce and demonstrate the application of thermoplastic (woven glass reinforced polypropylene) in the design of modular fiber-reinforced bridge decks, and next the development of jackets for confining concrete columns against compression and impact loading. The design concept and manufacturing processes of the thermoplastic bridge deck composite structural system are presented by recognizing the structural demands required to support highway traffic. Then the results of the small-scale static cylinder tests and the impact tests of concrete columns are presented, demonstrating that thermoplastic reinforcement jackets act to restrain the lateral expansion of the concrete that accompanies the onset of crushing, maintaining the integrity of the core concrete, and enabling much higher compression strains (compared to CFRP composite wraps) to be sustained by the compression zone before failure occurs.