The use of innovative FRP anchorage systems in the retrofitting box girder bridges

Carbon Fibre reinforced Polymers have become an effective solution to upgrade and strengthen existing box girder bridges in flexure, shear and torsion. The Westgate bridge project is a recent example of the challenges faced in large scale retrofit applications involving the use of advanced fibre composites. Key innovations in the area of FRP anchorage technology and their ability to increase FRP material utilisation levels have been verified through an extensive laboratory program. The anchorages investigated utilised the principles of mechanical substrate strengthening and the introduction of uni-directional and bi-directional fibres to the ends of FRP laminates to distribute fibre-adhesive bond stresses over a greater area of concrete resulting in material reductions and a shorter installation process.