Many Canadian jurisdictions are faced with the challenge of managing an aging and deteriorating infrastructure with limited funding. As a means of providing optimal service for the user, not only in the present but also in the future, many are investigating the potential use of new and innovative designs and technologies. The Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg, consulting engineering firms, and contractors have partnered with ISIS Canada, Intelligent Sensing for Innovative Structures - A Canadian Network of Centers of Excellence, to develop and take advantage of this emerging technology for application in bridges and structures. The Province of Manitoba has been actively involved with ISIS Canada through the sponsorship of research and demonstration projects for several bridges (Taylor Bridge, Shell River Bridge, Red River Bridge on the North Perimeter Highway, Tourond Creek Bridge). For example, the Taylor Bridge, constructed in 1997, incorporated fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) as pre-stressing strand and reinforcement in four of the forty concrete I-girders, and as reinforcement in a portion of the concrete deck and concrete barrier wall. Fibre optic sensors were also cast into the structure, which led to the nickname The Smart Bridge. Furthermore, the use of FRP reinforcement has been planned for a number of concrete deck reconstruction projects and the strengthening of concrete pier columns. In addition, the Province of Manitoba, with an inventory of over 720 timber bridges, requires an effective and economical method to strengthen the timber bridges and extend their service life rather than costly replacement. Current research is focusing on developing a methodology to strengthen timber bridge stringers using glass fibre reinforced polymers (GFRP). Another area of research, currently under consideration, is the application of steel-free concrete bridge deck technology. For the covering abstract of this conference see ITRD number E211271.
Abstract