Bristol uni pioneers composite bridge technique

The extensive use of advanced composite materials glass, or carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers could be the answer to building bridges in half the time, reducing costs during construction while potentially improving the structural reliability of the completed bridges.

Composites are stiff, strong, light, corrosion-resistant materials that have been used in the aerospace, automotive and yachting industries for decades. However, since they behave differently from traditional construction materials such as steel, concrete and timber, novel design approaches are needed to use them cost effectively in civil engineering applications.

Now, a research team led by Dr Wendel Sebastian, a senior lecturer in structural engineering at Bristol University’s Department of Civil Engineering, is pioneering ways to make it easier for civil engineers to use such composite decks in the construction of beam and slab road bridges.

“Ensuring the smooth flow of forces between the components through the joints is important”

According to Sebastian, bridges using advanced composites have already been built in countries such as the US, the UK and Spain. Some of these have been designed using composite decks with steel beams, while at least one uses concrete decking on composite beams. A few have even been constructed using both composite decking and composite beams.