Page 6 - NovDec2021 Vol39No5
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MORGAN COUNTY
Polymer Vehicular Bridges
Reinforcing the Country’s Crumbling Infrastructure
As Joe Henry Miller, Morgan County The occasion drew a large crowd departments across the country are
Highway Superintendent, reflected upon because Miller and county officials were unfamiliar with the technology.”
the new low-maintenance composites part of a partnership with an impressive The Morgan County demonstration
bridge recently installed near Wartburg, roster of numerous public groups, bridge has captured the attention of the
he let out a low chuckle. private industry players and higher Tennessee Department of Transportation
“I am very, very, very proud to have it,” education researchers, including those (TDOT), a supporter of accelerated
he said of the fiber-reinforced polymer at the University of Tennessee (UT) and and innovative bridge designs and
bridge that was installed earlier this the Institute for Advanced Composites construction techniques. “The use of
spring. The low-cost, high-tech bridge Manufacturing Innovation, (IACMI—The fiber-reinforced polymer bridge deck
replaces a damaged concrete bridge just Composites Institute®), in Knoxville. units, as being coordinated by the
off curvy Elizabeth Church Road in north Their goal was to create an affordable University of Tennessee and IACMI,
central Tennessee. bridge that could be installed quickly and has the potential to greatly enhance the
“It’s in an area in Morgan County that safely to meet transportation needs in the performance, durability and service life
doesn’t get a great deal of traffic. But the rural community. The privately-funded of our low volume rural bridge network
traffic it gets is very heavy traffic, with infrastructure project aims to demonstrate across the state,” said Ted Kniazewycz,
log trucks and oil trucks crossing it. That fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite TDOT Structures Division Director.
narrow old bridge was a problem,” Miller materials as a fast, easy solution for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites:
said, noting that the two-lane structure improving the thousands of structurally
had needed repair for many years. deficient rural bridges in financially Already Used in Highways, Dams,
And he got that new bridge for free. strapped counties across the U.S. Railroads, Semi-trailers, Aircraft
Unser said that fiber-reinforced polymer
With a 100-year lifespan. John Unser, IACMI Technology Impact composites products produced in the
First Fiber Reinforced Polymer Vehicular Manager, and Vice President of Program U.S. offer durable, sustainable and cost-
and Project Management at Composite
Deck Installed On a Road In Tennessee Applications Group (CAG), said that for effective solutions not only in bridges,
Amid great fanfare, the May 2021 more than 20 years, FRP composites have but also in a variety of infrastructure and
ribboncutting ceremony of Miller’s new been used in bridge applications. “They’ve transportation applications. This includes
bridge called for a host of more than 80 met and exceeded all performance and highways, dams, railroads, semi-trailers,
federal, state and local lawmakers joining safety standards set by the American aircraft, waterfront structures, utility poles
highway officials, university researchers Association of State Highway and and buildings.
and leaders to visit Morgan County in Transportation Officials (AASHTO),” he “As part of our objectives for
celebration of the first fiber reinforced said. “But when it comes to composite sustainability and strategic planning, our
polymer vehicular deck to be installed on bridge decking, many transportation goal in this demonstration is to develop a
a road in the state. comprehensive case study for comparing
6 TPW November/December 2021