Monitoring of First “Bridge-in-a-Backpack” Bridge in Massachusetts

An innovative “Bridge-in-a-Backpack” bridge was constructed in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The system, developed at the University of Maine, uses newly implemented technology of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tubes filled with concrete to reduce construction time and cost, reduce maintenance costs, and increase lifespan of the structure. The bridge is unique in that it has a 30 degree skew and shallower arch geometry than other bridges of this type that have been constructed. Massachusetts Department of Transportation, collaborating with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, instrumented the bridge with a total of 99 gages (strain gages, pressure cells, tiltmeters, displacement transducers, and convergence gages). This paper discusses the bridge response under construction loads, static live load testing, and the first eleven months of long-term monitoring, to report on the observed performance of this innovative bridge.

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFF80 Structural Fiber Reinforced Polymers.
  • Corporate Authors:

    Transportation Research Board

    500 Fifth Street, NW
    Washington, DC  United States  20001
  • Authors:
    • Quinn, Brooke H
    • Civjan, Scott A
    • Lahovich, Andrew
    • Brena, Sergio F
    • Elnahal, Shoukry
  • Conference:
  • Date: 2013

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 16p
  • Monograph Title: TRB 92nd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01473466
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: 13-3221
  • Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
  • Created Date: Feb 22 2013 10:29AM