Development of a pedestrian bridge with GFRP profiles and fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete deck

In recent years, the number of pedestrian bridges built from composites materials has notably increased. The combination of fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) profiles with fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) elements is being adopted in this type of structures, since the ductility, high post-cracking tensile strength, compressive stiffness and strength of FRC can be combined with the benefits derived from the use of FRP's profiles to obtain high performance structural systems. In the context of the present work a 12 m long single span pedestrian bridge with two composite I-profiles was designed. In terms of deflection requirements imposed by serviceability limit states, the influence of the height and thickness of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) profiles, as well as the addition of a thin layer of prestressed carbon fiber sheet in the bottom flange of the GFRP profile was evaluated. Using software based on the finite element method, the structural behavior of the developed structural systems was analyzed. Furthermore, two prototypes of this structural system were built and monitored in order to assess their long-term deformational behavior when subjected to a loading configuration correspondent to the load combination for the deflection serviceability limit states. The main results obtained are presented and discussed. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.