Field Repair Technology for Composite Bridges

It is proposed to extend the research effort performed in Phase I in developing reliable field repair techniques for army composite bridges. In Phase II, the innovative repair technology will be refined and optimized using GENOA virtual testing and optimization codes. The health-monitoring feature of the SRK will be incorporated through the use of fiber optics technology in conjunction with remote sensing technique. The SRK system will be designed such that the strain and other signals captured by the optical fiber sensors will be transmitted remotely via a cellular phone line to different monitoring locations including field operation base and/or the army headquarters, to the TACOM office in Detroit via a secured Internet website, and to the bridge launcher and transporter control panel. Clarence and warning signals will be also transmitted to incoming tanks and trailers. Several SRK prototypes will be fabricated which will incorporate the fiber optics monitoring system. In order to verify the structural efficiency and ensure the reliability of the SRK systems, several tests will be performed both virtually and at the laboratory. Four levels of verification testing will be performed. Also, a structural repair manual (SRM) will be developed and submitted with the final report.