CompositesWorld
Issue link: https://cw.epubxp.com/i/866813
NEWS CUSTOM SOLUTIONS COMPRESSION PRESSES TRANSFER PRESSES AUTOMATION AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT USED PRESSES RETROFITS & REBUILDS HYDRAULIC PRESS MANUFACTURER STANDARD DESIGNS w w w.lmgpresses. com VISIT US AT BOOTH#Q64 T O O L I N G T O O L I N G Smart Cauls TM Made in Almost Any Shape Including 360° and profi le shapes with minimal capital investment in Almost in Almost For more information: contact@smarttooling.com www.smarttooling.com 29 CompositesWorld.com Carbon Composite Bridge Repair use of carbon fiber to strengthen concrete structures. The carbon fiber composite strips — carbon fiber fabrics, which were manually saturated with epoxy during installation — were used by crews to wrap the damaged girders and then were cured in place. The repair work on the two I-17 bridges was completed in May 2017. The improvements done to the bridge carry- ing I-17 over 19 th Ave. allowed that bridge's sufficiency rating to be upgraded. ADOT was able to move it off the structurally deficient list. According to ADOT, the term structurally deficient doesn't mean a bridge is unsafe, but that certain repair needs, including component replace- ment, have been identified through an inspection. "Our ADOT Bridge Group focuses on using new and innovative bridge-repair technologies that enhance safety while saving time and taxpayer dollars," says ADOT senior bridge engineer William Downes. "The reinforced fiber strips add strength to the girders and are designed to limit the amount of debris that could fall should a girder be struck again." "We think the carbon fiber repairs are effective, can extend the lifespan of structures and can be done in much less time than other repair methods," says ADOT state bridge engineer David Eberhart. "We're likely to use it again, if and when repairs are needed." FNF Construction Inc. (Tempe, AZ, US) and FRP Construction LLC (Tucson, AZ, US) were contractors on the I-17 bridge repairs, using the structural strengthening process developed by QuakeWrap.