A Feasibility Study on Weight Saving in Bascule Bridge Design by Implementing an FRP-deck

Abstract

This master thesis contains a study on the implementation of Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP) onto a steel bascule bridge, with the aim of weight reduction. As a case study, the Amalia bridge near Waddinxveen (crossing the Gouwe channel) is used. Two alternative design propositions are presented. The thesis has been subdivided into several parts, which are introduced below.
The first part consists of several expositions. It examines the built up of a movable bridge, the material FRP & its properties together with methods of connecting an FRP deck to steel girders and the rules & regulations required for bridge design in the Netherlands.
The second part is the design study, which contains an overview of the original Amalia bridge and the designs created based on adaptions of the original. The designs have been made to have a lower total weight than the Amalia bridge. A lower bound approach has been used, not an optimisation. Thus, leaving room for improvement. Two alternatives are discussed: a hybrid and a non-hybrid solution. A hybrid solution is defined as a solution with the full interaction between the FRP-deck and steel girders: allowing for shear transfer between the two and enabling the deck to function as the top flange of the steel girders. A non-hybrid solution only allows for the transfer of vertical forces and limits the transfer of shear, resulting in the structural separation between the deck and the girders.
The design study has led to a weight reduction for both the hybrid and non-hybrid solution of 24 and 16% respectively. It can be concluded that both alternatives clearly illustrate the potential of FRP in bridge design, given the objective to reduce weight. It should be noted that in the case of a hybrid solution, the temperature influences become significant. This requires close attention to the details for the connection between the deck and girders.