Composite Advantage, a leading supplier of fibreglass reinforced plastic (FRP) products for bridges, waterfront infrastructure and rail platforms, has constructed a no-maintenance structure to replace a bridge crossing that connects Rotary Park, Phillips Park and the Beavercreek Wetlands Nature Preserve in Dayton, Ohio, US.

The original bridge was pieced together in the 1990s by Greene County park employees from used county highway bridge materials; however, flooding and subsequent erosion eventually prompted Beavercreek Township to close the crossing in 2012.

“Our FiberSPAN bridge deck products are a good fit for these types of applications,” said Scott Reeve, President of Composite Advantage. “We're able to provide a total bridge system that includes prefabrication and installation through our partner FRP Constructors.”

New solution

In September 2014 the Township found a total bridge system solution by hiring Composite Advantage to design and build a new structure.

According to the company, it designed the bridge deck to support pedestrian loads and maintenance vehicle loads and withstand uplift force in the event of a 100-year-flood. The design also called for a weathered steel truss superstructure to comply with the zero maintenance requirement. The design was approved by the County Floodplain Administrator.

Lightweight FRP deck

CA’s partner, FRP Constructors, handled the installation. The prefabricated bridge with decking was transported to the park and set in place. Installation took less than a day.

Approximately a month after installation, unexpected storms caused flooding. An uprooted tree crashed into the bridge when a section of the bank gave way. Inspection revealed that abutments remained solid. The bridge deck and connections were sound; demonstrating the FRP design’s high-performance characteristics.

CA and FRP Constructors provided the Township with a turnkey system that included design, demolition of the old structure, new abutments, bridge deck, installation and trail approach finishing work. The lightweight FRP deck is expected to last 75 to 100 years giving generations of visitors and residents access to the three parks, the manufacturer reports.

www.compositeadvantage.com