ABSTRACT
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PENNDOT’s) experiences with their first Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) deck are chronicled. From preliminary planning of the project, to determining a funding scenario, to design and construction, the project presented many challenges. The bridge consists of a FRP deck placed on new, galvanized steel beams with rehabilitated substructure units. The design was completed by PENNDOT’s District Bridge Unit with actual construction of the FRP deck done by PENNDOT’s Bridge Maintenance crews. After construction in 1998, the deck located on State Route 4003 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania is still performing very well.
