Fiberglass-reinforced polymers (FRPs) have seen their popularity rise in the past few years as more industries make use of them. The primary reasons for their use include their strength, weight, durability, and cost. These and other properties have seen them replace traditional materials such as steel and wood. One of the areas where fiberglass-reinforced polymers are being used more than before is in the construction of bridges and boardwalks. In this article, we are going to discuss the use of the bridges and boardwalks constructed out of fiberglass reinforced polymers.
Trail Bridges
Trail bridges provide access to various areas of national forests and parks for both humans and wildlife. One of the biggest considerations when constructing trail bridges is ensuring they do not end up destroying the environment as they age and break down.
Additionally, many trail bridges are in areas that are difficult to access which means that human power is required for both the transportation of the materials as well as the assembly. Even when those constructing the trail bridges have used wood found in the forest, the wood is not durable enough, and cutting down trees for logs to construct trail bridges does harm to the environment.
Using fiberglass-reinforced polymer bridges eliminates all these problems. Fiberglass-reinforced polymers are lighter to transport and easier to assemble than wooden or steel bridges. They also eliminate the need for wood that may be scarce in some areas, and they outlast wood by decades.
Bridge Decks
Fiberglass-reinforced polymers are giving bridge designers an alternative to steel and reinforced concrete. This is mainly because of their high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios. Bridge decks built out of FRP materials often have a sandwich profile that either span longitudinally or transversely and that is supported by steel beams, tension cables, or bridge hangers made out of FRP materials.
Most of the bridge variants in use today use multiple-cell sections of fiberglass reinforced composites which are then bolted or glued together to form one structure. An alternative to doing it this way is having the bridge constructed as a single structure and then transported to the site of installation. This ensures there is no bolting or bonding between different parts of the structure which could lead to structural weaknesses.
Bridge Enclosures
Although FRP materials are extensively used in bridge enclosures, they are not the best solution when used on their own. A combination of various materials including tubular steel frames, an enclosure shell made out of FRP materials, steel cast nodes, and a reinforced concrete slab is used to provide not only the most efficient solution, but the most visually appealing one. The enclosure structure can be widened and expanded using additional space framing and cables that are used to put tension on the posts. The FRP enclosure shell also provides additional protection to the steel structure.
Fiberglass-reinforced polymers have several advantages over other materials and this is what sees them used extensively in the construction of bridges and boardwalks. These bridges and boardwalks are easy to install and maintain and this is why many more are cropping up.
