Strength and fatigue of three glass fiber reinforced composite bridge decks with mechanical deck to stringer connections.

Gleason, Andrew; Dusicka, Peter · 2012 · ROSA P / Oregon. Dept. of Transportation

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Summary

This study evaluates the structural performance of three glass fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bridge deck options to support the replacement of the deteriorated steel-grating deck on the Morrison Bridge in Portland, Oregon. The research was motivated by the need to address maintenance issues, improve safety by eliminating slick surfaces, and contain vehicular runoff. The experimental program compared a conventional closed-cell Martin Marietta deck, a closed-cell ZellComp deck, and a novel "modified ZellComp" deck featuring an inverted, open-cell configuration. The modified deck was prioritized for testing because its height and weight matched the existing steel grating, allowing for retrofitting without structural reinforcement, though it lacked prior performance data. The experimental design involved forty tests on twenty-five specimens, assessing monotonic strength, fatigue resistance, stiffness, and connection integrity. Specimens were connected to steel stringers using bolts rather than the typical shear studs. Testing protocols included flexural and shear tests, nondestructive stiffness measurements, and fatigue loading based on AASHTO standards, with some specimens subjected to over 6 million cycles and others to 2 million cycles under higher loads. The study also evaluated the strength of bolted deck-to-stringer connections, bolt pull-out resistance, and the contribution of polymer overlays to deck stiffness. Results indicated that the monotonic flexural and shear strengths of the decks exceeded design values. However, the modified ZellComp panels consistently failed via shear flow through the stem near the top flange, with minimal residual displacement, complicating field identification of damage. Fatigue testing revealed that failure initiated in flexural fiber rupture, distinct from monotonic failure modes; only one specimen subjected to higher-than-standard loading failed, suggesting adequate fatigue life under normal conditions. Connection tests showed that bolted FRP failures often occurred within the composite material at strengths lower than the bolts themselves. Regarding lateral stiffness, the closed-cell ZellComp deck provided approximately twice the stiffness of the open-cell modified version, a critical factor for the bridge’s bascule span operation. The findings provide essential data for designing FRP bridge decks with bolted connections and open-cell configurations. The study confirms that while the modified ZellComp deck meets strength and fatigue requirements for the Morrison Bridge, its lower lateral stiffness and specific failure modes require careful design consideration. The results highlight the importance of evaluating connection strengths and fatigue behaviors specific to bolted FRP assemblies, offering a basis for future design guidelines for lightweight, high-strength bridge deck retrofits.

Key finding

Open-cell FRP decks failed via shear flow through the stem near the top flange, while closed-cell decks exhibited approximately twice the lateral stiffness of open-cell designs.

Methodology

lab_experiment

Sample size: 25

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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• rail grade crossings