Key Research Themes for Cellular FRP (Fibre Reinforced Polymer) Bridge Decks
Event details
| Date | 10.05.2012 |
| Hour | 12:15 › 13:15 |
| Speaker | Dr. Wendel Sebastian |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Carbon and glass FRP (fibre reinforced polymer) materials possess four beneficial properties, namely high stiffness-to-weight ratios, superior strength-to-weight ratios, corrosion-resistance and ease of manufacture into construction-friendly shapes. Consequently, these FRPs are finding increased applications in strengthening existing structures and in construction of new road bridges. For the latter application, cellular bridge decks made of glass FRPs are only 20% the weights of reinforced concrete bridge decks. This low weight, coupled to the modularity and durability mean that GFRP cellular decks can potentially lead to a new class of deck-on-beam road bridges which are much more rapidly constructed (so reducing disruption to traffic flow during assembly) and are of significantly longer service lives than are currently possible. Despite this strong potential, cellular FRP deck bridges are not widespread. The presentation by Dr Sebastian will examine some of the key reasons – including observations from the few FRP deck bridges in service – for the slow uptake of this new technology. This will naturally lead on to the nature of the underpinning research needed to develop robust design guidance which will overcome these limitations. In so doing, the presentation will focus on specific research topics including the structural integrity of the deck-to-beam connections, along with combined environmental and fatigue long-term effects on these novel bridge decks. The talk will conclude with a road map for development of FRP bridges over the next 10 years.
Short Bio: Dr Wendel Sebastian is senior lecturer in Structural Engineering at Bristol University in the UK. He gained his BA in Engineering and his PhD in Structural Engineering from the University of Cambridge. His research entails the uses of nonlinear algebraic analyses, nonlinear computational approaches and large-scale tests to elucidate and optimise the load responses of composite structures comprising various combinations of traditional (steel, concrete, timber) and new (FRP (fibre reinforced polymer), limecrete) materials. This research now focuses on road bridges made wholly or partly of FRPs. He now leads a project, funded by partners including the UK Highways Agency, to study the fatigue behaviour of an 8 m long, 4 m wide FRP deck bridge specimen within a test frame developed ad hoc at the University of Bristol. Dr Sebastian is currently the recipient of a Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship from the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Short Bio: Dr Wendel Sebastian is senior lecturer in Structural Engineering at Bristol University in the UK. He gained his BA in Engineering and his PhD in Structural Engineering from the University of Cambridge. His research entails the uses of nonlinear algebraic analyses, nonlinear computational approaches and large-scale tests to elucidate and optimise the load responses of composite structures comprising various combinations of traditional (steel, concrete, timber) and new (FRP (fibre reinforced polymer), limecrete) materials. This research now focuses on road bridges made wholly or partly of FRPs. He now leads a project, funded by partners including the UK Highways Agency, to study the fatigue behaviour of an 8 m long, 4 m wide FRP deck bridge specimen within a test frame developed ad hoc at the University of Bristol. Dr Sebastian is currently the recipient of a Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowship from the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Organizer
- EDCE (Prof. Nikolas Geroliminis & Prof. Katrin Beyer)
Contact
- Prof. Thomas Keller