Innovative Bridge Research and Construction Program study released

Earlier this month, the National Academies of Sciences and the Transportation Research Board (Washington, D.C., U.S.) released the consensus study report for the Innovative Bridge Research and Construction Program (IBRC). The Federal Highway Administration (Washington, D.C., U.S.) program funded nearly 400 projects and 150 bridges using a number of materials, including fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, high-performance concrete (HPC) high-performance steel (HPS), and corrosion resistant reinforcing bar (rebar). The recently released consensus study report provides data and analysis about the performance of the bridges, assessing the performance, utility and life-cycle costs.

“With such valuable research findings available, ACMA [American Composites Manufacturers Assn. (Arlington, Va., U.S.)] believed that the lack of follow-up and research about the program and these bridges would be a critical mistake,” says ACMA President Tom Dobbins. “ACMA pushed for the inclusion of the study in the FAST Act of 2015, working with Senator Whitehouse of RI, the sponsor of the provision ordering the study.”

According to the ACMA, the results of the study demonstrated that advanced materials and technologies can co-exist with traditional materials with cost savings. The study indictated the technologies used by the IBRC reduced construction time and traffic congestion and improved safety. There was also evidence that the use of advanced technologies, including FRP composites and corrosion control technologies can reduce bridge life-cycle costs.

“The study results have the potential to increase the adoption of composites and advanced materials in key markets like infrastructure, construction, and transportation, which is exciting news for our members and the entire composites industry. More importantly it will benefit the American taxpayer by providing quality infrastructure that lasts much longer,” adds Dobbins.

The IBRC study reinforced the value of federal incentives to promote the use of advanced materials and technologies while mitigating the associated risk and costs. The study also recommended new research by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and state DOTs to expand data collection, promote long-term monitoring and planning, develop new materials and techniques, and better evaluate the improvement in performance and life-cycle costs of bridges using new and existing advanced materials.

Dobbins says, “This report is just the start. The TRB makes clear that work has to be done in optimizing design for bridges using innovative materials. The innovative materials community must continue to engage and educate state DOTs and demonstrate a better way to build bridges rather than the way they have for the last century. The industry must also
work with the Congress and USDOT to advance policies that promote the adoption of 21^st century materials in our infrastructure.”