Bridge of Tomorrow, Today!

Using new fiberglass-polymer materials, construction workers in Springfield, Mo. provided a major facelift of a 70-year-old bridge without the usual snarling of traffic.

The old crumbling bridge on Farm Road 148 was in a dilapidated state--officials had placed a weight limit on the bridge due to the dangerous conditions--and was just one of nearly 156,000 U.S. bridges in need of repair.

The usual method for surfacing a bridge deck--laying plywood, tying steel rebar and pouring concrete--can take two to three weeks. Using pre-fabricated plates and cages, these workers completed the task in just five days.

"A key to tackling the challenge of making thousands of deficient bridges in the nation fully operational and safe again is the development of convenient solutions for the rapid construction of long-lasting bridges," said University of Wisconsin Madison Ph. D. candidate Fabio Matta.  "Advanced composites make the margin for improvements exceptional."

The fiberglass-polymer composites are strong enough to endure several decades of traffic--and unlike steel, will resist the ravages of salt and other corrosive de-icers for just as long. Due to the lightweight and prefabricated nature of the materials, moreover, workers can put the structures in place quickly, saving both time and commuter headaches.

--Bjorn Carey

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Credit: Fabio Matta, UMR