The influence of arching action on BFRP reinforced SCC deck slabs in Thompson bridge

Sustainable development of concrete infrastructure and a need for improved whole life performance has led to a requirement for more durable and sustainable concrete bridges alongside accurate predictive analysis tools. The use of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) reinforced with Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) bars is anticipated to address the concerns on the usage of traditional reinforced concrete structures, such as corrosion of internal steel reinforcement, costly repair and development of low-energy infrastructure. However, the study of BFRP reinforced SCC deck slabs is rather limited. In addition, it is only in recent years that there has been a rational treatment of arching action for design and assessment purposes for concrete deck slabs has become more accepted. To use the benefit of arching action, this paper describes a field test of bridge deck slabs of Thompson Bridge in Northern Ireland, where low energy self-compacting concrete was used in the combination with BFRP reinforcement. The research was aimed at extending previous research using Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GRFP) and BFRP reinforcement in in-plane restrained slabs and concrete deck structures. The results have been compared to the current code requirements and Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) arching theory predictions. It was shown that the serviceability of those novel deck slabs was enhanced by this arching effects compared to the design standards for FRP reinforced concrete structures.