This paper describes the very first application of Carbon fibre Composite (CFCC) prestressing in Canada, and first in the world, of the use of fibre optic sensing in the design and construction of a prototype highway bridge at Beddington Trail and Centre Street (North) in Calgary. CFCC prestressing tendons are a new generation of prestressing material with strengths higher than steel and are totally non-corrosive. Another significant material property of CFCC is its low Young's Modulus, thus, promoting durability of bridge structures, due to less creep losses. Laboratory testing of CFCC was conducted at the Structural Engineering Laboratory at the University of Manitoba. Research and development and design Research and development and design of fibre optic sensing suited to the first terrestrial application in this bridge was carried out by the University of Toronto, Institute of Aerospace Studies. Construction and various design details, using CFCC material properties and the program for monitoring of bridge stresses with fibre optic sensing would be discussed in this paper. (A)
Abstract