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Focus

Federal Highway Administration / Publications / Focus / July 2012

Accelerating Infrastructure Innovations

Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-12-015
Date: July 2012
Printable Version (.pdf, 1 mb)

Infrastructure Innovation Webinars

These free Webinars provide a quick introduction to the latest infrastructure innovations and technologies.

Rigidified Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Tubular Arches and Hybrid Composite Beams
July 19, 2012, 2:30–4 p.m. (eastern daylight time)

The Webinar will discuss two market-ready FRP composite technologies for bridges that could yield significant economic benefits. Rigidified FRP tubular arches (RFTA) are well suited to a variety of sites, including environmentally sensitive areas and locations where it is difficult or damaging to bring in heavy equipment and machinery. Using RFTAs can also result in low life-cycle and maintenance costs.

Hybrid composite beams (HCB) weigh considerably less than conventional bridge components and can be erected using smaller, lighter pieces of construction equipment. HCBs optimize the performance characteristics of concrete, steel, and FRP composites during beam fabrication and show promise for providing a long service life with corrosion resistance.

Webinar presentations will include testing verification of structural properties, short-and long-term benefits of using the two technologies, implementation challenges, and case histories.

Registration information is available at www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/commtool.cfm. The Webinar is hosted by the National Highway Institute (NHI), in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Highways for LIFE program. For more information, contact Julie Zirlin at FHWA, 202-366-9105 (email: julie.zirlin@dot.gov).

Precast Bent System for Use in High Seismic Regions
September 20, 2012, 2:30–4 p.m. (eastern daylight time)

The precast bent or pier system can be used in high seismic regions to connect prefabricated bridge elements and systems. The system uses precast column and cap beam (crossbeam) elements that are joined into an integral unit using newly developed connection details. FHWA's Highways for LIFE program recently completed a demonstration project for the new system.

The Webinar will provide a brief overview of the bent system concept, as well as information on the demonstration project. Also featured are a detailed description of the seismic design process for the system, design examples, and descriptions of the construction details used with the system.

This session is the second of a two-part series on the precast bent system. To view the first Webinar, which was presented on August 18, 2011, visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/innovations/webinars.cfm. Registration information for this Webinar will be available in September 2012 at www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/commtool.cfm. The Webinar is hosted by NHI, in conjunction with the FHWA Highways for LIFE program. For more information, contact Julie Zirlin at FHWA, 202-366-9105 (email: julie.zirlin@dot.gov).

Updated: 06/27/2017
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000