Case study: Composites for Civil Engineering - The Harkers Island Bridge Project - The world’s first steel free bridge structure

The Harkers Island Bridge Project in North Carolina was presented by Peter Distefano of Balfour Beatty. The new bridge is a 3,200 ft (975 m) fixed-span bridge which contains no steel in its main structure. Carbon FRP strand was used in piles and girders, and the main structure used glass FRP rebar. The cages could be tied in the same way as steel rebar, and Owens Corning made curved sections where needed. The low weight of the rebar meant that it could be handled and moved much more efficiently. The FRP reinforcement eliminates the problem of steel corrosion, and the new bridge is designed for 100 years with no maintenance.