Quality Control and In-Service Inspection Technology for Hybrid-Composite Girder Bridges

This report describes efforts to develop quality control tools and in-service inspection technologies for the fabrication and construction of Hybrid Composite Beams (HCBs). HCBs are a new bridge technology currently being evaluated by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The report includes analysis of the anticipated damage modes for the HCB members and suitable nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies that could be utilized for condition assessment. Infrared thermography (IR) was found to be the most applicable NDE technology for use in quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) testing to ensure uniform placement of the concrete within the arch, which is critical to ensuring the quality of construction, durability, and capacity of the HCBs. Since this arch is enclosed within a fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) shell, internal voids or honeycombs that may occur during concrete placement are unavailable for visual inspection. It was found that the thermal signature of this arch, which results from the heat of hydration produced during the curing of the concrete, could be imaged on the surface of the composite shell. A procedure for utilizing IR technology to ensure the quality of the concrete placement in the arch was developed, tested and verified through field testing of each of the three HCB bridges constructed over the course of the project. This technology is also suitable for the detection of delamination in the composite shell. Recommendations developed from the research include: implementing thermal imaging technology as a QC/QA tool, utilizing visual inspection for the assessment of the composite shell in-service, and pursuing the application of Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) to assess corrosion damage in the strands. MFL technology is currently experimental in nature, and not readily available as a commercial tool. Development of this tool should be tracked in anticipation of future implementation.

• Record URL:
  http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R282%20Final%20Report.pdf
• 
• Summary URL:
  http://transportation.mst.edu/research/r282/
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety / NUTC program

  Missouri University of Science and Technology
  220 Engineering Research Lab
  Rolla, MO  United States  65409

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Washer, Glenn
  • Schmidt, Justin
• Publication Date: 2014-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: 49p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge construction; Bridge design; Girder bridges; Inspection; Nondestructive tests; Quality assurance; Quality control; Thermal imagery
• Identifier Terms: Missouri Department of Transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Hybrid composite beams; Infrared thermography; Magnetic flux leakage
• Geographic Terms: Missouri
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Highways; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls; I53: Construction of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01535121
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: NUTC R282, Project #00035268
• Contract Numbers: DTRT06-G-0014 (Grant)
• Files: UTC, TRIS, RITA, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 26 2014 11:00AM