FRP strengthening of concrete road and rail bridges in the UK

This paper discusses the uses of fibre-reinforced composites by the Highways Agency and Network Rail in the UK to strengthen concrete bridges. The advantages of fibre-reinforced composites are well known and have been established in the aerospace and marine industries. However, there are still reservations about the use of composites such as glass, aramid and carbon fibre in construction. They are light and easily handled materials and not subject to corrosion, and are therefore a low-maintenance and durable option for bridge decking and strengthening of structures. There are, however, some potential disadvantages when using composites and areas of uncertainty such as longer-term durability. Nevertheless, the Highways Agency and Network Rail have successfully undertaken a number of projects using composites to strengthen existing structures. There have been two main applications – column strengthening and deck strengthening, primarily for impact loading and bending.