JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 43

Focus

The cost of corrosion
In 2001, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) initiated a systematic study to estimate the total metallic corrosion cost on
the U.S. economy and to provide preventive strategies to minimize the impact of corrosion. The majority of bridge deficiencies are
primarily due to corrosion of steel and steel reinforcement. The study found that the annual direct cost of corrosion for highway
bridges is estimated at $8.3 billion, consisting of $2.0 billion for annual maintenance and cost of capital for concrete substructures (minus bridge decks), and $0.5 billion for annual maintenance painting of steel bridges. Life-cycle analysis estimates indirect costs to the user due to traffic delays and lost productivity at more than 10 times the direct cost of corrosion maintenance,
repair, and rehabilitation. This study ranked highway bridges as the 4th most costly sector of the 26 sectors analyzed in the
report. (Source: Publication No. FHWA-RD-01-156)
Advancements in research and recent field installations continue to improve the competitiveness of composite applications. FRP
hybrid composite-concrete applications are highly competitive on a first-cost basis (installed) reducing bid project pricing by as
much as 20% in certain cases, in addition to a quantifiable maintenance savings benefit due to the absence of corrosion.

act as lightweight stay-in-place formwork, and structural reinforcement
which requires no steel rebar.
The arch composite shell protects
concrete from the environment - no
rusting, cracking, or spalling - thus
reducing maintenance costs and
increasing bridge service life. The
system performs well and provides
significant savings on skewed geometries compared to steel or precast
concrete and can be designed for
staged construction projects.

Design methodology

construction schedules. Recent
installations use as few as five arch
tubes. Innovative longevity factors
make this bridge well suited for performance-based projects as it holds
significant advantages for contractors, engineers, and owners.

AIT Bridges have a truly unique product
offering with this corrosion-resistant
construction application. This durable
bridge design protects the structure from
day one, lowering future maintenance
costs while increasing durability and
safety. The idea of protecting our infrastructure beginning at the design phase is
gaining popularity, and AIT Bridges are
ideal for building longer lasting bridges.

The AASHTO-approved design
code for composite arch bridges
was published in 2013. This design
methodology coupled with numerous constructability improvements
and competitive pricing has made
AIT Bridges a compelling alternative
to traditional crossings. There are
more than twelve of these bridges
in service in Maine, Massachusetts,
Michigan, New Hampshire and the
Caribbean with new projects being
installed in five other states.

Longevity factors
This bridge design allows for quick
response manufacturing times,
accelerated delivery, rapid construction, and can be designed for staged
construction projects to reduce
traffic congestion or help shorten

Arches make beautiful and efficient structures. Rapid design and
fabrication allow AIT Bridges to
help reduce project timelines as
bridge design engineers can go from
drawings to job site delivery in as few
as 30 days. Corrosion-free composite
arch bridges are gaining widespread
acceptance throughout the U.S. and
globally, creating longer-lasting,
lower maintenance bridges. n

Versatile, Durable, Money-saving bridge designs for all crossing types

No85 November - December 2013 /

More information:
www.aitbridges.com

Feature Construction

In addition to the published design
methodology, AASHTO's Technology Implementation Group selected this corrosion resistant bridge
construction as a Focus Technology.
AASHTO highlighted that this
durable product offers particular
advantages in locations where it is
not feasible or practical to bring in
heavy construction equipment, such

as environmentally-sensitive areas,
making the installation friendlier to
its natural setting. The composite
arch bridges can be used for single or
multi-span designs with up to 23-m
spans over road, rail, water crossings,
and trail systems.

jec composites magazine 43

http://www.aitbridges.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013