New Approaches in Civil Engineering

New Approaches in Civil Engineering

Performance Evaluation of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composite Materials for Bridge Deck Construction

Document Type : Derived from the research project

Authors
Aso Behjat Hassan Shaikhan 1
Panam Zarfam 2
Armin Aziminejad 2
1 Master's student in Structural Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
10.30469/jnace.2025.502772.1118
Abstract
Bridge decks play a vital role in the overall performance of bridge structures, and the use of novel materials such as glass fiber reinforced polymer composites can reduce the challenges associated with high weight, corrosion, and maintenance costs of traditional materials such as concrete and steel. This study aims to numerically investigate the mechanical performance of glass fiber reinforced polymer bridge decks under different loading conditions. For this purpose, 3D modeling was performed using ABAQUS software and the behavior of the decks under extended and dynamic loading was analyzed. The results of numerical analyses showed that glass fiber reinforced polymer decks have better load distribution compared to traditional materials and their deformation is within the permissible range of regulations (L/250). Also, the stress distribution pattern showed that different areas of the deck behave differently under loading, with some parts under tension and others under compression. The research findings show that optimizing fiber orientation and using hybrid material combinations can have a significant impact on improving structural performance. This research shows that bridge decks made of glass fiber reinforced polymer composites are a lightweight, robust, and economical option for use in modern bridges. It is also suggested that structural health monitoring using embedded sensors be used to continuously monitor the performance of the decks to increase their safety and durability throughout their service life.
Keywords
Modern bridges
Bridge deck
Fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials
Durability and fatigue
Numerical simulation

Subjects

1-D. K. Rajak, D. D. Pagar, P. L. Menezes, and E. Linul, “Fiber-reinforced polymer composites: Manufacturing, properties, and applications,” Polymers (Basel)., vol. 11, no. 10, p. 1667, 2019.
2-M. I. Alam, K. M. Maraz, and R. A. Khan, “A review on the application of high-performance fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials,” GSC Adv. Res. Rev., vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 20–36, 2022.
3-H. T. Ali et al., “Fiber reinforced polymer composites in bridge industry,” in Structures, 2021, vol. 30, pp. 774–785.
4-A. Diniță et al., “Advancements in fiber-reinforced polymer composites: a comprehensive analysis,” Polymers (Basel)., vol. 16, no. 1, p. 2, 2023.
5-S. Navaratnam, K. Selvaranjan, D. Jayasooriya, P. Rajeev, and J. Sanjayan, “Applications of natural and synthetic fiber reinforced polymer in infrastructure: A suitability assessment,” J. Build. Eng., vol. 66, p. 105835, 2023.
6-S. Maiti, M. R. Islam, M. A. Uddin, S. Afroj, S. J. Eichhorn, and N. Karim, “Sustainable fiber‐reinforced composites: a Review,” Adv. Sustain. Syst., vol. 6, no. 11, p. 2200258, 2022.
7-J. Wang, B. Cheng, X. Yan, K. Zhang, and Z. Zhou, “Structural analysis and optimization of an advanced all-GFRP highway bridge,” in Structures, 2021, vol. 34, pp. 3155–3171.
8-H. Xin, A. Mosallam, J. A. F. O. Correia, Y. Liu, J. He, and Y. Sun, “Material-structure integrated design optimization of GFRP bridge deck on steel girder,” in Structures, 2020, vol. 27, pp. 1222–1230.
9-R. Haghani, J. Yang, M. Gutierrez, C. D. Eamon, and J. Volz, “Fiber Reinforced Polymer Culvert Bridges—A Feasibility Study from Structural and LCC Points of View,” Infrastructures, vol. 6, no. 9, p. 128, 2021.
10-M. Abuassi and M. Bisharah, “Machine learning-based assessment of seismic performance in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) retrofitted bridges,” Asian J. Civ. Eng., pp. 1–13, 2025.
11-X. Zou, H. Lin, P. Feng, Y. Bao, and J. Wang, “A review on FRP-concrete hybrid sections for bridge applications,” Compos. Struct., vol. 262, p. 113336, 2021.
12-W. Hu, Y. Li, and H. Yuan, “Review of experimental studies on application of FRP for strengthening of bridge structures,” Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng., vol. 2020, pp. 1–21, 2020.
13-Y. J. Kim, “State of the practice of FRP composites in highway bridges,” Eng. Struct., vol. 179, pp. 1–8, 2019.
14-J. Naveen, M. Jawaid, P. Amuthakkannan, and M. Chandrasekar, “Mechanical and physical properties of sisal and hybrid sisal fiber-reinforced polymer composites,” in Mechanical and physical testing of biocomposites, fibre-reinforced composites and hybrid composites, Elsevier, 2019, pp. 427–440.
15-H. Jariwala and P. Jain, “A review on mechanical behavior of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites and its applications,” J. Reinf. Plast. Compos., vol. 38, no. 10, pp. 441–453, 2019.
16-K. Agarwal, S. K. Kuchipudi, B. Girard, and M. Houser, “Mechanical properties of fiber reinforced polymer composites: A comparative study of conventional and additive manufacturing methods,” J. Compos. Mater., vol. 52, no. 23, pp. 3173–3181, 2018.
17-G. Feng, D. Zhu, S. Guo, M. Z. Rahman, Z. Jin, and C. Shi, “A review on mechanical properties and deterioration mechanisms of FRP bars under severe environmental and loading conditions,” Cem. Concr. Compos., vol. 134, p. 104758, 2022.
18-P. G. Kossakowski and W. Wciślik, “Fiber-reinforced polymer composites in the construction of bridges: Opportunities, problems and challenges,” Fibers, vol. 10, no. 4, p. 37, 2022.
19-X. Wang, Z. Peng, Z. Wu, and S. Sun, “High-performance composite bridge deck with prestressed basalt fiber-reinforced polymer shell and concrete,” Eng. Struct., vol. 201, p. 109852, 2019.
20-J. Qureshi, “A review of fibre reinforced polymer bridges,” Fibers, vol. 11, no. 5, p. 40, 2023.
21-M. Y. Yuhazri, A. J. Zulfikar, and A. Ginting, “Fiber reinforced polymer composite as a strengthening of concrete structures: A review,” in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2020, vol. 1003, no. 1, p. 12135.
New Approaches in Civil Engineering
Volume 8, Issue 4
Winter 2025
Pages 1-14