ABSTRACT
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns, operates, and maintains an extensive infrastructure of navigational, flood control, and waterfront Civil Works structures. Most of these structures are made from of traditional concrete and steel. As composite materials technology has advanced, particularly for use in civil engineering applications, Corps interest in composites has steadily increased as a possible way to control rising Civil Works construction and maintenance costs. This paper describes current uses of composites (e.g., gratings, railings, piping, etc.); recent and ongoing laboratory research and development, and field demonstration activities (e.g., pilings, reinforcements for concrete, gate structures, facilities upgrade, etc.); and predicted future applications of FRP composites in Civil Works structures.
