WO2002075056A1

WO2002075056A1 - Integrally bonded fiber reinforced composite deck of adjustable alignment, method for fabrication and connection thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2002075056A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/000331
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sung-Woo Lee; Sun-Goo Lee
Original assignee: Kookmin Composite Infrastructure, Inc.
Priority date: 2001-02-27
Filing date: 2002-02-27
Publication date: 2002-09-26

Abstract

The invention relates to integrally bonded fiber reinforced polymer composite bridge deck of adjustable alignment being applicable to both straight and curved portion of bridge, characterized in that the composite deck comprises tubular members having uniform or tapered section of polygonal shape formed with laminates of fiber and polymer resin, which are assembled and bonded integrally with adjacent tubular member to ensure structural integrity between tubular members so that it improve the vulnerability of delamination at jointed portion of the tubular members.

Description

INTEGRALLY BONDED FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITE

DECK OF ADJUSTABLE ALIGNMENT, METHOD FOR

FABRICATION AND CONNECTION THEREOF

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a composite bridge deck having a light weight, a high strength, corrosion resistance and durability, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an integrally-formed fiber-reinforced composite bridge deck which replaces the conventional bridge deck made of steel or reinforced concrete, can be applied to both straight and curved portions of a bridge, and is fabricated by an integral forming technique to be excellent in terms of durability, strength, etc. The present invention further relates to a method for fabricating the integrally-formed fiber-reinforced composite bridge deck, and a structure for connecting the same to a girder.

BACKGROUND ART

In the conventional reinforced-concrete bridge deck, concrete and steels are likely to be deteriorated and corroded under the influence of noxious environment including automotive exhaust gas, a snow melting agent, and so forth. Hence, a lifetime of the reinforced-concrete bridge deck is significantly reduced to 15-20 years, and structural safety is adversely affected. Costs incurred by maintenance, repair and replacement of the deteriorated bridge deck are increased. Also, upon conducting a maintenance, repair or replacement work, as a traffic interruption time is lengthened, public inconvenience and indirect expenses are increased. To cope with these problems caused in the conventional reinforced- concrete bridge deck, a composite bridge deck has been disclosed in the art, which is l fabricated using tubular members each being formed of a composite laminate, to serve as a bridge deck. By replacing the conventional reinforced-concrete bridge deck with the composite bridge deck, advantages are provided as described below. Since the composite bridge deck is not fabricated on site but is prefabricated in a factory to serve as a ready-made product, when carrying out upgrading of a bridge or conducting a repair work, as a traffic interruption time is minimized, energy consumption due to a traffic jam is reduced, public inconvenience is minimized, a period of work is shortened, and construction costs are considerably reduced. Further, because the composite bridge deck has excellent corrosion resistance and durability, by using the composite bridge deck upon new construction or repairing a bridge, it is possible to avoid problems caused by deterioration of concrete, and a lifetime of the bridge deck is lengthened. Accordingly, when considering the lengthened lifetime, a total invested cost can be remarkably decreased.

The composite bridge deck has a weight which corresponds to one fifth of that of the conventional reinforced-concrete bridge deck. Thus, if the lightweight composite bridge deck is used to upgrade load carrying capacity of a bridge, as a weight of the bridge deck is decreased, an existing bridge can be raised in its load rating without the need of additionally strengthening girders and substructures. As a result, a cost of initial construction can be decreased, and it is possible to use light weight of transportation and construction equipments. Since the composite bridge deck has a light weight, an aseismatic characteristic of the bridge is considerably improved. Not only the bridge decks which comprise seriously deteriorated concrete and are therefore unable to properly perform their functions, but also the bridge decks which had been designed under the past design criteria and thereby are unable to properly support modern heavy traffic loads, need to be maintained with ever- increasing care, and in many cases must be replaced to ensure safety. There are a number of bridges including highway bridges, which are structurally deficient and therefore must be upgraded in their performance.

In Korea, referring to a survey categorizing bridges by design loads, which is given in a bridge status report made by The Ministry of Construction and Transportation, at the end of 1999, among 15,615 bridges scattered all over the country, 8,623 bridges were rated as not satisfying the current design criteria of first grade bridge. In the case of these low-rated bridges, since a lengthy period of time has elapsed after they were built, it is necessary to replace or carry out upgrading of their bridge decks. In particular, it was found that about 332 highway bridges had low ratings and cannot satisfy the current design criteria. The consequence is that there is increasing pressure in Korea and abroad, to rehabilitate and strengthen existing bridge structures and satisfy the current design criteria.

In order to carry out upgrading of the existing bridges, if the fiber- reinforced composite bridge deck having the above described advantages is used, economy can be accomplished. Because the composite bridge deck has excellent durability, by carrying out the upgrading with composite deck, a lifetime of the existing bridges can be significantly lengthened.

In the conventional composite bridge deck, prefabricated tube-shaped members, that is, tubular members are bonded one with another using adhesive. In other words, due to the fact that the respective tubular members are bonded one with another by adhesive, they cannot be held completely integrated one with another. Therefore, while vibration and fatigue are generated through a lifetime of a bridge by moving loads of traffic traversing the bridge, it is impossible to ensure complete integration between adjoining tubular members, and delamination can be caused in bonding areas. As a result, the bonding areas cannot but be structurally deficient, and the entire bridge deck cannot have sufficient structural integrity.

Also, since the conventional composite bridge deck is fabricated using the tubular members having a uniform section, it can be suitably used for a straight portion but not for a curved portion of the bridge.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a composite bridge deck which has a light weight, a high strength, excellent corrosion resistance and durability. Another object of the present invention is to provide a composite bridge deck which can be applied to both straight and curved portions of a bridge.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a composite bridge deck which has in its entirely an integrated structure by integrally forming tubular members one with another or cementing prefabricated de ..' units one with another in parallel.

In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a composite bridge deck wherein a skeleton of the composite bridge deck is defined by joining in parallel polygonal tube members each formed of a fiber-reinforced composite laminate, so that side faces of the polygonal tube members are integrated one with another; and upper, lower and side plates each formed of a fiber-reinforced composite laminate are integrally joined to upper, lower and side surfaces of the skeleton, respectively, to perform a reinforcing function, such that the composite bridge deck can be fabricated by integral bonding and applied to both straight and curved portions of a bridge. According to another aspect of the present invention, each polygonal tube member is shaped such that it has a constant height and each of its front and rear portions has a varying width, to allow the composite bridge deck to be applied to the curved portion of the bridge.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the skeleton of the composite bridge deck is defined by the fact that, before resin of one tube member formed of the composite laminate is completely set, a neighboring tube member is brought into contact and integrally joined with one tube member, or by the fact that deck units each having a shape in which two or more tube members are integrally connected with each other, are prefabricated by pultrusion and these prefabricated deck units are cemented in parallel to be integrated one with another.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the composite laminate forming the tube member comprises reinforcing fiber selected from a group consisting of glass fiber, carbon fiber and aramid fiber, and resin selected from a group consisting of polyester, vinylester, phenol and epoxy. Each tube member forming the skeleton of the composite bridge deck has a triangular, trapezoidal, rectangular, circular, elliptical or hexagonal section.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for fabricating a composite bridge deck, comprising the steps of: preparing a mold which possesses a height and a length corresponding to those of the composite bridge deck to be fabricated and has upper, lower and side walls; inserting a polygonal tube member which is formed of a fiber-reinforced composite laminate comprising reinforcing fiber and resin, into the mold; sequentially inserting other polygonal tube members with unset resin into the mold before resin of a preceding tube member is set, such that side faces of the polygonal tube members are joined in parallel and integrated one with another to define a skeleton of the composite bridge deck; and integrally joining upper, lower and side plates each formed of a fiber- reinforced composite laminate to upper, lower and side surfaces of the skeleton, respectively, to perform a reinforcing function, such that the composite bridge deck can be fabricated by integral bonding and applied to both straight and curved portions of a bridge.

According to another aspect of the present invention, before the tube member is initially inserted into the mold, upper, lower and side plates each formed of a fiber-reinforced composite laminate are respectively placed on upper, lower and side walls of the mold, and then, other tube members are sequentially inserted into the mold such that the upper, lower and side plates are integrated with the tube members.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for fabricating a composite bridge deck, comprising the step of: joining in parallel and thereby integrating a plurality of prefabricated deck units one with another.

According to yet still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connecting structure for connecting a composite bridge deck to a girder, wherein shear keys anchored to an upper surface of the girder are inserted through an opening defined in a lower part of the composite bridge deck to be positioned in the tube member; a pair of partitioning walls are press-fitted into the tube member such that a concrete space is defined between the partitioning walls; concrete is poured into the concrete space through a pouring gate defined in an upper part of the composite bridge deck such that the concrete can be cured with the shear keys embedded in the concrete; and the pouring gate is closed by a composite laminate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objects, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a composite bridge deck in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, which is fabricated using triangular tubular members;

FIG. 2a is a schematic perspective view illustrating a uniform-section triangular tube member, which is applied to a straight portion of a bridge; FIG. 2b is a schematic perspective view illustrating a variable-section triangular tube member, which is applied to a curved portion of a bridge;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a state wherein an upper plate is omitted from the composite bridge deck according to the present invention, which is applied to the curved portion of the bridge; FIG. 4 is a partially broken-away schematic perspective view for explaining a fabricating procedure of the composite bridge deck according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 a is a schematic perspective view illustrating a state wherein the composite bridge deck according to the present invention is installed on girders in a steel plate girder bridge having straight and curved portions; FIG. 5b is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the "A" part of FIG. 5a;

FIG. 5c is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a variation of FIG. 5b;

FIG. 5d is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating another variation of FIG. 5b;

FIG. 5e is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the "B" part of FIG. 5a;

FIG. 6a is a partially cross-sectioned side view illustrating the composite bridge deck according to the present invention, fabricated using a plurality of deck units each of which is composed of two integral triangular tube members; FIG. 6b is a partially cross-sectioned side view illustrating a variation of

FIG. 6a;

FIG. 6c is a schematic perspective view illustrating an in-use status of the composite bridge deck shown in FIG. 6b;

FIG. 6d is a partially cross-sectioned side view illustrating another variation of FIG. 6a;

FIG. 6e is a schematic perspective view illustrating an in-use status of the composite bridge deck shown in FIG. 6d;

FIG. 6f is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a structure by which the composite bridge deck shown in FIG. 6b is coupled to a girder; FIG. 6g is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a structure by which the composite bridge deck shown in FIG. 6d is coupled to a girder;

FIG. 7a is a partial side view illustrating a composite bridge deck according to the present invention, which is fabricated using rectangular tube members; and

FIG. 7b is a partial side view illustrating a composite bridge deck according to the present invention, which is fabricated using elliptical tube members. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a composite bridge deck 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, which is fabricated using triangular tube members 1. The composite bridge deck 10 shown in FIG. 1 is fabricated to be applied to a curved portion of a bridge.

In the composite bridge deck 10 according to the present invention, by connecting in parallel triangular tube members 1 each formed of a composite laminate one with another, a skeleton is defined. As occasion demands, by reinforcing upper, lower and side surfaces of the skeleton with upper, lower and side plates 3, 4 and 5 each formed of a composite lamnr^{^} fabrication of the composite bridge deck 10 is completed. In FIG. 1, the composite bridge deck according to the present invention is modularized to have a predetermined length. By fabricating a plurality of modularized composite bridge decks 10 and connecting them one with another, the entire bridge is constructed. As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of end tube members 2 each having a section in the shape of a trapezoid or a right triangle are provided to both ends of the modularized composite bridge deck 10, respectively. Connecting structures for the modularized composite bridge deck 10 will be described later.

Referring to FIGs. 2a and 2b, there are schematically shown triangular tube members la and lb which constitute the composite bridge deck 10 according to the present invention. A uniform-section triangular tube member la, which is used upon forming a straight portion of a bridge, is shown in FIG. 2a, and a variable- section triangular tube member lb, which is used upon forming a curved portion of a bridge, is shown in FIG. 2b. In FIGs. 2a and 2b, it is to be noted that upper ends of the triangular tube members la and lb have predetermined widths. That is to say, by flattening the upper ends of the triangular tube members la and lb to some extent, fabrication of tube members and connection between the tube members and girders can be implemented in an easy manner. As can be readily seen from FIG. 2a, in the case of the variable-section triangular tube member lb which is used to form a curved portion of a bridge, each of lower and upper surfaces has a varying width which is gradually increased from an inner curved end having a small arc length toward an outer curved end having a large arc length. In other words, while a height of a triangular section is constantly maintained in order to ensure a constant thickness of the composite bridge deck, each of a vertex portion and a base portion of the triangular section has a varying width to accommodate a difference between the small and large arc lengths.

The tube members la and lb are formed of composite laminates 6 each of which comprises reinforcing fiber such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, and the like, and resin. In general, the composite laminate 6 is prepared by laying up the reinforcing fiber and then immersing the laid-up reinforcing fiber in resin. As the resin for preparing the composite laminate 6, polyester, vinylester, phenol, epoxy, and so forth, can be used.

As a method for forming the tube members la and lb using the composite laminates 6, a conventional composite product forming technique such as hand lay- up, filament winding, pultrusion, vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (NARTM), etc. can be employed.

In one example, describing a procedure for forming the uniform-section triangular tube member la by combinedly employing the hand lay-up and filament winding techniques, first, reinforcing fiber 7 is laid up in a longitudinal direction by the hand lay-up technique. Then, another reinforcing fiber 7 immersed in resin is continuously wound around the laid-up reinforcing fiber 7 in a transverse direction by the filament winding technique. In this way, the tube member la is formed. In this tube member forming method, since another reinforcing fiber 7 is firmly wound in the transverse direction around the reinforcing fiber 7 which is laid up in the longitudinal direction, the laid-up reinforcing fiber 7 can be properly fixed. Thus, as a binding effect is improved, a possibility of the composite laminate to be delaminated is obviated, whereby structural integrity of the tube member la is ensured. The tube member la can be formed to have a hollow section, by laying up the reinforcing fiber 7 on a mandrel (not shown), immersing the laid-up reinforcing fiber 7 in resin, setting the resultant reinforcing fiber 7, and then removing the mandrel. Alternatively, the tube member la can be formed to have a solid section, without implementing a mandrel removing process, by directly laying up the reinforcing fiber 7 on a core (not shown) having a desired section, immersing the laid-up reinforcing fiber 7 in resin, and setting the resultant reinforcing fiber 7 with the core left. In the case that the tube member la is formed to have a solid section, as a material for the core, foamed core, wood, painted expanded polystyrene (EPS), etc. can be used. The variable-section triangular tube member lb as shown in FIG. 2b to be applied to the curved portion of the bridge can also be formed by the same method as described above. Upon forming the variable-section triangular tube member lb, a mandrel or a core, which has a variable section in conformity with the curved portion of the bridge, is adopted.

The composite bridge deck 10 can be appropriately used to form the curved portion of the bridge. FIG. 3 illustrates a state wherein the upper plate is omitted from the composite bridge deck 10 which is applied to the curved portion of the bridge. As shown in FIG. 3, in order to fabricate the composite bridge deck 10 which can be applied to the curved portion of the bridge, the variable-section triangular tube members lb each having a varying width as shown in FIG. 2b, which is gradually increased from the front curved end toward the rear curved end, are arranged in a side-by-side relationship and integrally connected one with another.

Hereafter, a procedure for fabricating the composite bridge deck according to the present invention by integrally joining the tube members will be described with reference to FIG. 4. First, a mold 8, which possesses a height and a length corresponding to those of the composite bridge deck 10 to be fabricated and has upper, lower and side walls, is prepared. The end tube member 2, which is formed of a composite laminate and has a section in the shape of a trapezoid or a right triangle, is fitted between the upper and lower walls of the mold 8. Before resin of the composite laminate forming the end tube member 2 is set, a triangular tube member 1 to adjoin the end tube member 2 is inserted between the upper and lower walls of the mold 8 to be arranged in a side-by-side relationship with the end tube member 2. At this time, since a composite laminate forming the newly inserted triangular tube member 1 has unset resin, as the composite laminates of the adjoining tube members 1 and 2 are joined and integrated with each other, the two adjoining tube members 1 and 2 are completely united with each other to define one integrated structure. In succession, before resin of the fitted tube member 1 is set, other triangular tube members 1 are sequentially inserted with unset resin into the mold 8 such that they are integrally joined one with another. After the triangular tube members 1 of a desired number are inserted into the mold 8, finally, another end tube member 2, which has a section in the shape of a trapezoid or a right triangle, is fitted between the upper and lower walls of the mold 8, so that it is joined and integrated with the adjoining triangular tube member 1. Then, after the mold 8 is disassembled, the upper, lower and side plates 3, 4 and 5 each formed of a composite laminate are integrally joined to the upper, lower and side surfaces of the skeleton, respectively, to complete the composite bridge deck 10.

In another method, the composite bridge deck 10 can be fabricated in a manner such that the upper, lower and side plates 3, 4 and 5 each formed of a composite laminate are placed in the mold 8, and the respective tube members are sequentially inserted into the mold 8. As described above, in the procedure for fabricating the composite bridge deck 10 according to the present invention, before the resin of the composite laminates forming the tube members is set, two adjoining tube members are stuck to each other. Thus, in actual fact, the composite laminates of the adjoining tube members are integrally joined with each other. As a consequence, although the tube members are formed separately from one another, the entire composite bridge deck 10 is fabricated in a manner such that tube members are not simply assembled but integrally joined one with another. Therefore, a possibility of the entire bridge deck to be disassembled is eliminated, structural integrity thereof is ensured, and excellent strength and durability are rendered. Next, the connecting structures for the modularized composite bridge deck 10 will be described with reference to FIGs. 5a through 5e. FIG. 5a is a schematic perspective view illustrating a state wherein the composite bridge deck 10 according to the present invention is installed on girders 20 in a steel plate girder bridge having straight and curved portions 100 and 200. FIG. 5b is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the "A" part of FIG. 5a, illustrating a connecting structure between the composite bridge deck 10 and the girder 20. FIGs. 5c and 5d illustrate variations of FIG. 5b. FIG. 5e is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the "B" part of FIG. 5a, illustrating another connecting structure between the modularized composite bridge decks 10. As shown in FIG. 5 a, the present composite bridge deck 10 can be applied to the straight and curved portions 100 and 200 of the bridge, and modularized to have a predetermined length. The modularized composite bridge deck 10 is placed on girders 20 of the bridge. Connection between the composite bridge deck 10 and the girder 20 can be implemented as shown in FIG. 5b. Concretely speaking, shear keys 21 are anchored to an upper surface of the girder 20. An opening 11 is defined in a lower part of the composite bridge deck 10 in a manner such that the shear keys 21 are inserted through the opening 11 into the composite bridge deck 10. When the composite bridge deck 10 is placed on the girder 20, the shear keys 21 are positioned in the composite bridge deck 10. As can be readily seen from FIG. 5b, it can be envisaged that angle members 22 are installed on the girder 20 and the composite bridge deck 10 is seated on the angle members 22. Meanwhile, instead of the angle members 22, as shown in FIG. 5c, bent plate members 32 each formed of a bent steel plate can be used. Also, as shown in FIG. 5d, support members made of wood, polystyrene, etc. can be used. A pouring gate 12 is defined in an upper part of the composite bridge deck 10 opposite the opening 11 so that concrete can be poured through the pouring gate 12. A pair of partitioning walls 13 are press-fitted into the tube member such that a concrete space is defined between the partitioning walls 13.

After the composite bridge deck 10 is placed on the girder 20 and the shear keys 21 are inserted into the composite bridge deck 10 through the opening 11, concrete 23 is poured through the pouring gate 12 into the concrete space. As the poured concrete 23 is cured, the girder 20 and the composite bridge deck 10 are rigidly coupled with each other. If pouring of concrete 23 is completed, by bonding a strip 14 formed of a composite laminate to an upper surface of the composite bridge deck 10, the pouring gate 12 is closed.

A connecting structure between the straight and curved portions 100 and 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 5e. Shear keys 31 are anchored to an upper surface of a cross beam 30 in a manner such that they are positioned in two bridge decks 101 and 201 to be connected with each other. Openings 111 and 211 are defined through lower parts of the composite bridge decks 101 and 201 to allow insertion of the shear keys 31 through them. While the composite bridge decks 101 and 201 can be directly placed on the cross beam 30, it can be contemplated that, as shown in FIG. 5e, bent plate members 32 are installed on the cross beam 30 and the composite bridge decks 101 and 201 are seated on the bent plate members 32. A pair of pouring gates 112 and 212 are defined in upper parts of the composite bridge decks 101 and 201 opposite the openings 111 and 211 so that concrete can be poured through the pouring gates 112 and 212.

If the composite bridge decks 101 and 201 are placed on the cross beam 30, the shear keys 31 are inserted into the composite bridge decks 101 and 201 through the openings 111 and 211. Both end surfaces of the composite bridge decks 101 and 201 which are brought into contact with each other are bonded with each other using adhesive, and the like.

Concrete 33 is poured through the pouring gates 112 and 212 into the composite bridge decks 101 and 201. As the poured concrete 33 is cured, the cross beam 30 and the composite bridge decks 101 and 201 are rigidly coupled with each other. If pouring of concrete 33 is completed, by bonding a strip 34 formed of a composite laminate to upper surfaces of the composite bridge decks 101 and 201, the pouring gates 112 and 212 are closed.

Hereinafter, a variation of the present invention will be described. FIG. 6a is a partially cross-sectioned side view illustrating the composite bridge deck according to this variation of the present invention. In this variation, deck units 40 each having a shape in which two triangular tube members are integrally connected with each other, are prefabricated, and these prefabricated deck units 40 are cemented in parallel to be integrated one with another, whereby the composite bridge deck 10 is fabricated. Each deck unit 40 is formed to have a shape in which two triangular tube members 1, and upper and lower plate portions 3a and 4a are integrated with each other. Due to the fact that the deck unit 40 integrally formed and fabricated in this way has prominences and depressions, by arranging and bonding two adjoining deck units 40 using adhesive, and the like, with their prominences and depressions engaged, the entire composite bridge deck 10 can be fabricated.

Referring to FIGs. 6b through 6e, there are illustrated deck units 50 and 60 according to variations of the deck unit 40 shown in FIG. 6a. FIGs. 6b and 6d illustrate the varied deck units 50 and 60, and FIGs. 6c and 6e illustrate their in-use states. The deck unit 50 shown in FIG. 6b has a shape in which a pair of trapezoidal or triangular tube members are brought into contact and integrally joined with each other. A pair of extended portions 51 and 53 are formed at upper and lower ends of one side end of the deck unit 50. A pair of recessed portions 52 and 54, in which the pair of extended portions 51 and 53 of another deck unit 50 are respectively engaged, are defined at upper and lower ends of the other side end of the integral deck unit 50. As can be readily seen from FIG. 6c, a plurality of deck units 50 are placed in a side-by-side relationship and integrally bonded one with another using adhesive such as epoxy, and the like, and thereby the integrated composite bridge deck 10 is fabricated.

In the same manner as the deck unit 50, the deck unit 60 shown in FIG. 6d has a shape in which a pair of trapezoidal or triangular tube members are brought into contact and integrally joined with each other. A pair of extended portions 61 and 63 are respectively formed at an upper end of one side end and a lower end of the other side end of the deck unit 60. A pair of recessed portions 64 and 62, in which the pair of extended portions 61 and 63 of another deck unit 60 are respectively engaged, are respectively defined at a lower end of one side end and an upper end of the other side end of the deck unit 60. As can be readily seen from FIG. 6e, a plurality of deck units 60 are placed in a side-by-side relationship and integrally bonded one with another using adhesive such as epoxy, and the like, and thereby the integrated composite bridge deck 10 is fabricated.

In the meanwhile, referring to FIGs. 6f and 6g, there are illustrated connecting structures for connecting the deck units 50 and 60 with girders. As described above with reference to FIG. 5b, a shear key 21 is anchored to an upper surface of the girder 20, and an opening 11 is defined in a lower part of each of the deck units 50 and 60 in a manner such that the shear key 21 is inserted through the opening 11. When each of the deck units 50 and 60 is placed on the girder 20, the shear key 21 is positioned in each of the deck units 50 and 60. A pouring gate 12 is defined in an upper part of each of the deck units 50 and 60 opposite the opening 11 so that concrete can be poured through the pouring gate 12. In a state wherein the shearing key 21 is positioned in each of the deck units 50 and 60, concrete 23 is poured through the pouring gate 12 into each of the deck units 50 and 60. At this time, in order to prevent the poured concrete 23 from leaking to the outside, a pair of bent plate members 32 are installed between the girder 20 and the lower part of each of the deck units 50 and 60. While not shown in the drawings, instead of the bent plate members 32, angle members 22 as shown in FIG. 5b or support members as shown in FIG. 5d can be used. If pouring of the concrete 23 is completed, by bonding a strip 14 formed of a composite laminate to an upper surface of each of the deck units 50 and 60, the pouring gate 12 is closed. While the composite bridge deck fabricated using triangular tube members was explained with reference to FIGs. 1 through 6e, a person skilled in the art will readily recognize that the sectional shape of the tube member can be changed.

Referring to FIGs. 7a and 7b, there are illustrated composite bridge decks according to the present invention, which are fabricated using different tube members. FIG. 7a is a partial side view illustrating a composite bridge deck 50 which is fabricated using quadrangular tube members 51, and FIG. 7b is a partial side view illustrating a composite bridge deck 60 which is fabricated using elliptical tube members 61. In addition to the illustrated sectional shapes, it is possible to fabricate a composite bridge deck using circular, hexagonal, or trapezoidal tube members. Further, a composite bridge deck can be fabricated by combining the above described various sectional shapes.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As apparent from the above description, the composite bridge deck according to the present invention can replace the conventional steel and concrete bridge deck. When compared to the conventional bridge deck, since the present composite bridge deck has a light weight, reduced size girders and slender substructure can be possible and fabrication and transportation of the composite bridge deck can be implemented in an easy manner. Also, upon installing the composite bridge deck, heavy equipment as employed in the conventional art is not needed. Since an installation work can also be implemented in an easy manner, considerable savings can be realized. Specifically, due to the fact that the composite bridge deck constituting a superstructure of a bridge has a light weight, as a weight of the whole superstructure is considerably decreased, a seismic load induced upon occurrence of an earthquake can be decreased, as a result of which aseismatic performance of the bridge is considerably improved.

Further, because the composite bridge deck is formed of composite laminates having excellent durability, chemical resistance, and so forth, it is prevented from being corroded by exposure to environmental corrosives. In particular, in the case that the composite bridge deck according to the present invention is used to replace existing low-rated bridges which do not meet the current design criteria, as a weight of the superstructure is decreased up to one fifth, load-carrying capacity acting against a live load is upgraded without the need of additionally strengthening a substructure including girders, piers, etc. upon conducting bridge upgrading rehabilitation work, whereby the existing bridge can be raised in its rating, and construction costs are considerably reduced. Also, in the case of new construction of bridge, it is possible to design and construct a substructure in a more slender thus economical way than the conventional art.

Moreover, by the fact that, when conducting redecking work, the composite bridge deck, which is not fabricated on site but is prefabricated in a plant, can be assembled in place at the same time the conventional concrete bridge deck is removed, a traffic interruption time is minimized, and civil inconvenience and indirect expenses can be remarkably decreased. Since the composite bridge deck is prefabricated in a plant, an amount of work which must be performed on site is reduced, and a duration of work is shortened.

Because the composite laminate has excellent corrosion resistance and durability, maintenance and repair costs incurred after installation of the composite bridge deck can be decreased. Also, since the composite bridge deck is highly rated and lengthened in its lifetime, an efficiency of a cost invested for construction of the bridge can be maximized.

Furthermore, because the composite bridge deck is fabricated using tube members each having varying sectional areas, it can be appropriately used to form a curved portion of a bridge. Also, in the composite bridge deck according to the present invention, before resin of composite laminates constituting the tubular members is set, neighboring tubular members are brought into contact with each other and integrally joined with each other, or deck units each having a shape in which two or more tube members are integrally connected with each other, are prefabricated and cemented in parallel to be integrated one with another. Therefore, composite laminates of the neighboring tubular members are joined and reliably integrated with each other. Consequently, in the entire bridge deck formed of the composite laminates, since the tubular members are not simply assembled but integrally joined one with another, excellent strength and durability are rendered.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS :

1. A composite bridge deck wherein a skeleton of the composite bridge deck is defined by joining in parallel polygonal tube members each formed of a fiber-reinforced composite laminate, so that side faces of the polygonal tube

> members are integrated one with another; and upper, lower and side plates each formed of a fiber-reinforced composite laminate are integrally joined to upper, lower and side surfaces of the skeleton, respectively, to perform a reinforcing function, such that the composite bridge deck can be fabricated by integral bonding and applied to both straight and curved portions of a bridge.

2. The composite bridge deck as set forth in claim 1, wherein each polygonal tube member is shaped such that it has a constant height and each of its front and rear section has a constant or varying width, to allow the composite bridge deck to be applied to both straight and curved portions of the bridge.

3. The composite bridge deck as set forth in claims 1 or 2, wherein the composite laminate forming the tube member comprises reinforcing fiber selected from a group consisting of glass fiber, carbon fiber and aramid fiber, and resin selected from a group consisting of polyester, vinylester, phenol and epoxy; and the skeleton of the composite bridge deck is defined by the fact that, before resin of one tube member formed of the composite laminate is completely set, a neighboring tube member is brought into contact and integrally joined with one tube member, or by the fact that deck units each having a shape in which two or more tube members are integrally connected with each other, are prefabricated by pultrusion and these prefabricated deck units are cemented in parallel to be integrated one with another.

4. The composite bridge deck as set forth in claims 1 or 2, wherein each tube member forming the skeleton of the composite bridge deck has a triangular, trapezoidal, quadrangular, circular, elliptical or hexagonal section.

5. A composite bridge deck wherein an integral deck unit is formed by a pair of tube members which are brought into contact and integrally joined with each other; a pair of extended portions are formed at upper and lower ends of one side end of the integral deck unit, and a pair of recessed portions, in which the pair of extended portions of another integral deck unit are respectively engaged, are defined at upper and lower ends of the other side end of the integral deck unit; and a plurality of integral deck units are placed in a side-by-side relationship and integrally bonded one with another to form an integrated composite bridge deck.

6. A composite bridge deck wherein an integral deck unit is formed by a pair of tube members which are brought into contact and integrally joined with each other; a pair of extended portions are respectively formed at an upper end of one side end and a lower end of the other side end of the integral deck unit, and a pair of recessed portions, in which the pair of extended portions of another integral deck unit are respectively engaged, are respectively defined at a lower end of one side end and an upper end of the other side end of the integral deck unit; and a plurality of integral deck units are placed in a side-by-side relationship and integrally bonded one with another to form an integrated composite bridge deck.

7. A method for fabricating a composite bridge deck, comprising the steps of: preparing a mold which possesses a height and a length corresponding to those of the composite bridge deck to be fabricated and has upper, lower and side walls; inserting a polygonal tube member which is formed of a fiber-reinforced composite laminate comprising reinforcing fiber and resin, into the mold; sequentially inserting other polygonal tube members with unset resin into the mold before resin of a preceding tube member is set, such that side faces of the polygonal tube members are joined in parallel and integrated one with another to define a skeleton of the composite bridge deck; and integrally joining upper, lower and side plates each formed of a fiber- reinforced composite laminate to upper, lower and side surfaces of the skeleton, respectively, to perform a reinforcing function, such that the composite bridge deck can be fabricated by integral bonding and applied to both straight and curved portions of a bridge.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein, before the tube member is initially inserted into the mold, upper, lower and side plates each formed of a fiber- reinforced composite laminate are respectively placed on upper, lower and side walls of the mold, and then, other tube members are sequentially inserted into the mold such that the upper, lower and side plates are integrated with the tube members.

9. A connecting structure for connecting a composite bridge deck to a girder, the composite bridge deck including a skeleton and upper, lower and side plates, the skeleton being defined by joining in parallel polygonal tube members each formed of a fiber-reinforced composite laminate, so that side faces of the polygonal tube members are integrated one with another, the upper, lower and side plates each formed of a fiber-reinforced composite laminate being integrally joined to upper, lower and side surfaces of the skeleton, respectively, to perform a reinforcing function, such that the composite bridge deck can be fabricated by integral bonding and applied to both straight and curved portions of a bridge, wherein shear keys anchored to an upper surface of the girder are inserted through an opening defined in a lower part of the composite bridge deck to be positioned in the tube member; a pair of partitioning walls are press-fitted into the tube member such that a concrete space is defined between the partitioning walls; concrete is poured into the concrete space through a pouring gate defined in an upper part of the composite bridge deck such that the concrete can be cured with the shear keys embedded in the concrete; and the pouring gate is closed by a composite laminate.