The
use of FRP panels for bridge deck is limited, due to the relatively higher cost
of the
composite materials.
A hybrid concept of
composite sandwich panel with
hybrid FRP-steel core is proposed for highway bridges in order not only to
improve stiffness and buckling response but also to be cost-efficiency compared
to all FRP decks. The composite sandwich bridge deck system is composed of the
hybrid FRP-steel core and the FRP facings. Its structural performance under
static loading was conducted, and the ANSYS finite element program was used to
predict the panel behaviour. This study is focused on the structural
characterization of flexure performance of the composite sandwich panels for
bridge decks under static loading. It is found that the presented composite
sandwich panel with hybrid FRP-steel core is very efficient for use in bridges.
And roughly estimated cost of this composite sandwich deck is $250/ m2, whereas roughly estimated that of an all FRP
deck is $400/m2.
Therefore, the use of the hybrid composite sandwich deck in bridge construction
may be able to compete with the conventional decks.