GBeam Bridge Girder Pultrusion: Section Design and Optimization (3.21)

The GBeam girder system, recently developed by the University of Maine (Dagher et al. 2019; Davids et al. 2022a; Davids et al. 2022b), holds significant promise for widespread application in conventional, slab-on-girder bridges. Its successful initial implementation is driven by enhanced durability, low maintenance, lightweight, and ease of erection. However, girder fabrication time and cost are currently high due to the use of labor-intensive vacuum infusion, and widespread adoption of the CT girder hinges on the ability to make girders faster. The proposed research tackles this issue by exploring the feasibility of commercial girder manufacturing via pultrusion. Inextricably linked with pultrusion is optimization of the girder fiber architecture and cross-section to ensure compatibility with the pultrusion process while retaining adequate capacity with efficient material utilization. This project is short-term in nature and designed to provide the information needed to complete the design of a pultrusion die for girder fabrication. Upon completion of this project, AIT Bridges must make a go/no-go decision on designing and purchasing a girder pultrusion die, a significant capital expenditure. While the research team is reasonably confident a section amenable to pultrusion will result from this research, success is not guaranteed and girder pultrusion cannot proceed without a pultrusion die. If AIT Bridges does purchase a die and successfully pultrudes GBeams, a follow-on project will be initiated to experimentally assess and verify the behavior of the pultruded section.

• Record URL:
  https://tidc.umaine.edu/tidc_project/3-21-umaine/

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $79866
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3551847101

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  University Transportation Center Program

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  University of Maine, Orono

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
  5717 Corbett Hall
  Orono, ME  United States  04469-5711
• Managing Organizations:

  Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center

  University of Maine
  Orono, ME  United States  04469

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Dunn, Denise

• Performing Organizations:

  Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center

  University of Maine
  Orono, ME  United States  04469

  University of Maine, Orono

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
  5717 Corbett Hall
  Orono, ME  United States  04469-5711
• Principal Investigators:

  Davids, William G

• Start Date: 20220601
• Expected Completion Date: 20221231
• Actual Completion Date: 20221212
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge construction; Bridge design; Fiber reinforced materials; Girder bridges; Girders; Manufacturing
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01866940
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551847101
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Dec 12 2022 9:29PM