Carbon fibers are 8 to 10 times stronger than steel, but 5 times lighter, and the reinforced composite does not corrode like aluminum or steel. In 1996 the Georgia Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and Abdul-Hamid Zureick of the Georgia Institute of Technology, commenced field and laboratory studies to examine carbon fiber composite rehabilitation of bridges and to recommend design and construction guidelines. The study findings guided repairs to a bridge on SR 120 over Interstate 85 near Atlanta. The repair was made shortly after damage to the bridge and was completed within two days, at a cost of $33,000. The carbon fiber repair allowed the daily traffic of 30,000 vehicles to maintain full access to the bridge. Previously, a typical repair replacing the damaged beam would have cost more than $130,000 and caused a one-month (or longer) lane closure. The advantages of this technology include: quick repairs, minimal inconvenience for motorists, little or no need for special or heavy equipment, an increase in bridge life spans, and a reduction in bridge replacements.
Samenvatting