Finite Element Analysis Of Gfrp Composite Bride Deck Panels

Light weight and corrosion resistant FRP bridge decks are used as an alternative to conventional reinforced concrete (RC) bridge deck panels in the construction of new bridges and retrofitting of an existing bridges. The main objective of the present investigation is to study analytically the static behaviour of GFRP composite bridge deck panels upto failure under wheel load of Indian Road Congress Class A wheeled vehicle. SOLID45 and SHELL93 elements were used to model GFRP composite bridge deck panel and analyzed using the FEA software ANSYS. The effect of position of patch load on the static behaviour of bridge deck panels was also studied. The analytical results of maximum deflections and strains at factored load were compared with the specifications by the Ohio Department of Transportation, U.S.A. The maximum deflections and strains at failure load obtained from analytical study were compared with the experimental data. Based on this study it was concluded that the maximum deflections and strains at factored load obtained from analytical study satisfied the performance criteria specified by ODoT, U.S.A. The analytical results of maximum deflections and strains at failure load were 2% and 5% lower than the experimental data.