Fiber Reinforced Polymers: The Future of Concrete Infrastructure
May 4, 2017
The University of Miami (UM), Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Astaldi Construction Corporation hosted a forum, workshop and visit in Tampa and Homosassa, Florida, to promote, discuss and exhibit sustainable concrete structures that utilize fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) instead of steel reinforcements.
FPRs are an innovative approach to combat one of the prime causes of concrete-structure failure: the deterioration of reinforced and pre-stressed steel within concrete. Made from various types of fibers, such as glass (GFRP) or carbon (CFRP), FRPs have a greater tensile strength than steel, while weighing only a quarter as much.
FPRs are an innovative approach to combat one of the prime causes of concrete-structure failure: the deterioration of reinforced and pre-stressed steel within concrete. Made from various types of fibers, such as glass (GFRP) or carbon (CFRP), FRPs have a greater tensile strength than steel, while weighing only a quarter as much.
On the morning of May 3, UM hosted a forum to provide an update on the outcomes of SEACON project. More than 35 attendees from academia, industry, FDOT and FHWAA participated in this event. The forum was streamed live and can be seen here. In order to have access to the presentations, click here.
FDOT hosted a workshop on the Halls River Bridge replacement, providing an opportunity for training by showing practical implementation of design and material criteria to effectively leverage benefits from FRP materials. The Halls River Bridge replacement follows UM’s Innovation Bridge, a 70-foot-long bridge at the University’s Coral Gables campus that serves as quantifiable proof of FRPs used to create a structure that is cost-effective and, most importantly, corrosion-free. Here, you can find the workshop's presentations.
FDOT hosted a workshop on the Halls River Bridge replacement, providing an opportunity for training by showing practical implementation of design and material criteria to effectively leverage benefits from FRP materials. The Halls River Bridge replacement follows UM’s Innovation Bridge, a 70-foot-long bridge at the University’s Coral Gables campus that serves as quantifiable proof of FRPs used to create a structure that is cost-effective and, most importantly, corrosion-free. Here, you can find the workshop's presentations.
Astaldi Construction Corporation, the general contractor for the Halls River Bridge, hosted a site visit for the participants of the forum and workshop. Thomas Cadenazzi, a PhD student at UM – deployed at the bridge site as part of his dissertation – explains that, “The problem with the existing bridges is the corrosion of the structure itself.”
UM’s SEACON research project is one of nine projects funded by Infravation, an infrastructure innovation program. As many transport ministries across the world are facing challenges to cope with the need to accommodate increased traffic growth, minimize congestion and maintain services in the face of increasing climate-change effects.
FHWA hosted “Technology Readiness Level Assessment of Infravation Program Project.” This meeting was the first of nine (one of each of the projects funded by Infravation). The FHWA-led panel met with SEACON’s principal investigator, Antonio Nanni – a professor and chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering – and other researchers.
FHWA hosted “Technology Readiness Level Assessment of Infravation Program Project.” This meeting was the first of nine (one of each of the projects funded by Infravation). The FHWA-led panel met with SEACON’s principal investigator, Antonio Nanni – a professor and chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering – and other researchers.
Additionally, Moretza Khatibmasjedi, a graduate research associate in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, conducted an interview about the SEACON project.
In memory of Luca Bertolini (1966-2017)
February 14, 2017
Born in Sondrio (Italy) in 1966, after graduating in Industrial Technology Engineering in 1990, Luca Bertolini got the PhD in Electrochemical Engineering in 1995 under the supervision of Prof. Pietro Pedeferri and Prof. Tommaso Pastore. His theses were focused on the durability of reinforced concrete structures, and in particular the PhD thesis was on “Control of rebar corrosion in concrete by means of current circulation: electrochemical aspects”.
He became assistant professor in 1995, associate professor in 1998 and full professor in 2005 in Materials Science and Technology at Politecnico di Milano, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”. The teaching activity was mostly devoted to materials science and technology and structures durability for Civil and Building Engineering and was carried out both in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and in the School of Architectural Engineering of Politecnico di Milano. He also taught in technology transfer courses, specializing masters and permanent education to professionals. His didactic activity led to the publication of two volumes on “Construction materials” (in Italian), which followed a former series of publications in cooperation with other colleagues of the Department. He supervised the theses of many MS students and PhD students.
Read the full article here.
He became assistant professor in 1995, associate professor in 1998 and full professor in 2005 in Materials Science and Technology at Politecnico di Milano, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”. The teaching activity was mostly devoted to materials science and technology and structures durability for Civil and Building Engineering and was carried out both in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and in the School of Architectural Engineering of Politecnico di Milano. He also taught in technology transfer courses, specializing masters and permanent education to professionals. His didactic activity led to the publication of two volumes on “Construction materials” (in Italian), which followed a former series of publications in cooperation with other colleagues of the Department. He supervised the theses of many MS students and PhD students.
Read the full article here.
SEACON Midterm Workshop
January 13, 2017
SEACON midterm workshop was held in Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy on January 13, 2017 with more than 20 attendees from academia and industry. Here you can find the presentations.
Florida Bridge Project To Test Composites
January 11, 2017
From the pilings to the deck and everything in between, a $6- million, federally funded project will serve as a test bed for a variety of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) and composite technologies while replacing an existing 54-year-old vehicular bridge in southern Florida.
Click here, to read the full article on Engineering News-Record (ENR).
Click here, to read the full article on Engineering News-Record (ENR).
Florida Bridge Crosses into New Waters
January 2, 2017
When it opens this summer, the 186-foot Halls River Bridge in Homosassa, Fla., north of Tampa will likely have more composite elements than any vehicular bridge in the United States. While each of the composite technologies has been used in other projects nationally, the bridge, which will replace one built in 1954, will feature composites in its pilings, deck, retaining walls, abutments and traffic rails.
To read the full article on Composites Manufacturing Magazine, click here
To read the full article on Composites Manufacturing Magazine, click here
Middle East Concrete Panel Discussion:
Advanced Materials and Techniques for Reinforced Concrete Structures – Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP)
November 22, 2016
Dr. Antonio Nanni, a professor and chair of the University of Miami College of Engineering’s Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering along with Rajiv Gauri, Assistant Vice President, Reliance Industries Limited in India, and Tamer El Maaddawy, Associate Professor of Structural Engineering, from United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, UAE, participated in the Middle East Concrete Panel Discussion that took place in Dubai World Trade Center, United Arab Emirates. Dr. Nanni answered a series of questions regarding special materials for reinforced concrete, more specifically, fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs).
Moderated by Dr. Elias Saqan, chair and professor of Civil Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering at the American University in Dubai, the discussion explained the rapid rise of interest of FRPs in civil engineering applications in the last two decades, and the future of FRPs in new constructions and sustainability.
“FRPs are an incredibly usable material as far as strengthening concrete is concerned,” explained Dr. Nanni. “I believe we are at the tip of a revolution in the way we strengthen concrete: internal strengthening. We, as a society, have realized that the problem of corrosion in concrete needs a solution. If we want to address the issue of sustainability when it comes to concrete in aggressive environments, composite materials give us that opportunity.”
Moderated by Dr. Elias Saqan, chair and professor of Civil Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering at the American University in Dubai, the discussion explained the rapid rise of interest of FRPs in civil engineering applications in the last two decades, and the future of FRPs in new constructions and sustainability.
“FRPs are an incredibly usable material as far as strengthening concrete is concerned,” explained Dr. Nanni. “I believe we are at the tip of a revolution in the way we strengthen concrete: internal strengthening. We, as a society, have realized that the problem of corrosion in concrete needs a solution. If we want to address the issue of sustainability when it comes to concrete in aggressive environments, composite materials give us that opportunity.”
Why in the past two decades the interest in FRP in civil engineering applications made a huge leap?
What are the challenges and opportunities in the introduction of FRP reinforcement for concrete?
What are the changes you are seeing in the US market for the adoption of GFRP bars in new construction?
Do you see the use of FRP being sustainable and with which segment of the construction industry it is most synergetic?
Can we bend FRP rebars into different shapes?
Where are we with the Standards at the moment?
How can we expedite the deployment of FRP reinforcement for new construction?
Bridge to the Future: UM's Innovation Bridge
October 20, 2016
The University of Miami deliberately chose to construct a pedestrian bridge using concrete elements solely reinforced and prestressed with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites to demonstrate its commitment to innovation and sustainability. In addition to showcasing concrete reinforcing bars made of basalt and glass FRP and tendons made of carbon FRP, the bridge features some unique basalt FRP forms such as continuous close stirrups used in the pier-caps and curbs as well as prefabricated basalt FRP cages for the auger-cast piles. Elements of the bridge were instrumented with vibrating-wire gages to monitor performance over time and during two load tests conducted on one of the prestressed concrete girders at the precast yard and on the completed structure.
Miami Students Replace Steel in “Fate Bridge” with GFRP
September 8, 2016
October 30, 2015After extensive laboratory research on glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) as internal reinforcement of concrete, graduate students at the University of Miami are working with Moss Construction Management to substitute steel deck reinforcement with GFRP rebars in the construction of the “Fate Bridge” on campus in an effort to combat future corrosion problems.
Click here, to read the full article on Composites Manufacturing Magazine.
Click here, to read the full article on Composites Manufacturing Magazine.
ACE Innovation Award
October 30, 2015
SEACON - Sustainable Concrete Using Seawater, Salt Contaminated Aggregates, and Non-corrosive Reinforcement was selected as a finalist for the American Composites Manufacturers Association's (ACMA) Awards for Composites Excellence (ACE) Innovation Award in CAMX 2015 - The Composites and Advanced Materials Expo in Dallas, TX.
