PSI - Issue 62

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2022) 000 – 000 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect

www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia

ScienceDirect

Procedia Structural Integrity 62 (2024) 1006–1013

II Fabre Conference – Existing bridges, viaducts and tunnels: research, innovation and applications (FABRE24) GFRP reinforced concrete curb: design, economic and regulatory considerations Andrea Maffei, Alessandro Basconi, Alessandro Greco, Alessio Lupoi* Tecne Speri Bridge Designers S.r.l., Rome, Italy Abstract This paper discusses the use of GFRP reinforcement application for concrete curb design and bridge barrier replacement projects. Unlike conventional steel bars, Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer rebars have the considerable advantage of not being susceptible to corrosion, preserving the durability of the structures and reducing the maintenance costs during the service life of the bridge. An additional advantage is the low specific weight of the GFRP, which makes it possible to speed up the installation of the reinforcements on site, ensuring greater safety for operators. The paper compares, in terms of structural performance and overall costs, two curbs of the same geometry, one reinforced with classic steel bars, the other with GFRP bars, providing evidence that current code provisions can be practically implemented in typical design situations. © 2024 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 ) Peer-review under responsibility of Scientific Board Members Keywords: GFRP, bridges, durability, maintenance, infrastructure, road barriers 1. Introduction The use of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) rebar can now be considered a reliable alternative to steel for reinforcing bridge curbs. GFRP is a composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibers. The matrix, which usually consists of a vinyl ester resin distributes the stresses among the fibers and also protects them from © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of Scientific Board Members

* E-mail address: andrea.maffei@tecnesperi.it; alessandro.basconi@tecnesperi.it; alessandro.greco@tecnesperi.it; alupoi@sperispa.it

2452-3216 © 2024 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4. 0 ) Peer-review under responsibility of Scientific Board Member s

2452-3216 © 2024 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of Scientific Board Members 10.1016/j.prostr.2024.09.134