Reinforced polymer composite fiber (FRP) is a new building material, gradually acceptance of civil engineers. Bridge engineering is among the civil engineering fields that benefit from the introduction of the FRP composite. Its advantages over traditional building materials are its high tensile strength in relation to weight, the ability to be molded in various forms and the potential resistance to environmental conditions, resulting in a potentially low maintenance cost. These properties make FRP composite a good alternative for innovative construction. In the last 10 years, experiments have been carried out to investigate the applicability of the FRP composite in bridge structures, including composite FRP and bridge deck applications, reinforcement of columns and beams, etc. This document will first present the basic information of the FRP compound, including its mechanical behaviors and manufacturing processes relevant to civil engineering applications. Next, we will investigate the application of FRP compounds in bridge engineering through three case studies. Four main themes that contribute to the slow acceptance of the material in the construction industry as a whole, despite their success in the aerospace and automotive industry, are discussed at the end.
Rapid advances in construction materials technology have led to the emergence of new materials with special properties, aiming for safety, economy and functionality of bridge structures. A class of structural materials that was originally developed many years ago, but recently captured the attention of engineers involved in the construction of bridges is composed of polymer reinforced with fiber. This document provides an overview of fiber reinforced polymer composites used in bridge structures including types, properties, applications and future trends. The results of this study have revealed that this class of materials has outstanding properties such as high specific strength, high fatigue and environmental resistance, light weight, stiffness, magnetic transparency, very cost effective and fast assembly, but at the same time high Initial costs, lack of data on the long-term performance of the field, low fire resistance. The fiber-reinforced polymer composites were widely used in the construction of different bridge structures such as: roof and tower, I-beams, tendons, cable supports and proved to be materials for the future in this field.