3D Orthogonal Woven Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymeric Bridge Deck: Fabrication and Experimental Investigation

Abstract

Rapid deterioration of civil infrastructure has created one of the major challenges facing the construction industry. In recent years, fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) have emerged as a potential solution to the tribulations associated with deficient bridge decks. The main objective of the proposed research is to adapt the 3-D orthogonal 3Weaving™ process to develop an innovative completely woven fiber reinforced polymeric bridge deck.

The research accomplished fabricating a unique 3Weaving™ loom capable of weaving an E-glass preform which 'puffs out' into an open cell truss-like structure aimed to overcome each the weaknesses of its predecessors. The project succeeded in providing fiber reinforcement through the connection of the truss core components with the outer composite deck skins. The loom provided continuous fiber reinforcement through these top and bottom skins. And the innovative fiber architecture provided inplane fiber reinforcement in each of the structural components. Two 5' long by 15' wide deck preforms were produced: the first 1 ½ thick and the second 3' thick. In addition, a 2' long by 12' wide by 1 ½ thick non-truss composite deck was produced for comparison. The truss oriented decks utilized triangular cut shafts of Balsa as core inserts, and the non-truss deck maintained a rectangular block of Balsa core; each deck was infused with an epoxy resin; and concrete was cast atop. Each of the decks was tested for stiffness and strength in three-point bend. The stiffness tests comprised loading and unloading the deck in 2 kip increments up to 22 kips and using linear regression analysis to ascertain any degradation in stiffness. The strength tests consisted of loading the deck until failure. The testing exemplified the importance of the attachment of the core structural components to the outer composite deck skins and demonstrated a resistance of delamination of the core to the outer skins and the outer skins to themselves.