Innovative Bridge Research Program:
 Building for the Future

Building bridges that last longer and require less maintenance, thus reducing the traffic congestion and disruption resulting from bridge construction and rehabilitation projects, are the primary goals behind the Federal Highway Administration’s Innovative Bridge Research and Construction program.

by Ruth W. Stidger, Editor-in-Chief

Established in 1998 by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, the six-year program provides funding to help state and local transportation agencies use innovative materials for bridge repair, rehabilitation, replacement, and construction.

The program also has the goal of reducing the maintenance and life-cycle costs of bridges, including the costs of new construction and the replacement or rehabilitation of deficient bridges.

Since the program began, 157 bridge projects have been funded. “I don’t think there’s any doubt we’re seeing more interest from states in using innovative materials and technologies,” says John Hooks of the Federal Highway Administration. In 2000, the projects included the replacement of girders on a single span bridge in Alabama with fiber-reinforced polymer composite girders, the use of high-performance concrete for the deck slab and high-performance steel for the bridge plate girders of a new bridge in Connecticut, and the incorporation of high-performance steel plate girders into a Georgia bridge. Fiber-reinforced polymer composites are more corrosion-resistant than conventional materials, as well as being more lightweight and easier to handle and install. High-performance concrete is engineered to produce mixes that better meet the requirements of specific bridge projects, while high-performance steel is stronger, easier to weld, and more resistant to corrosion than conventional steel.

New projects

Projects selected for FY 2001 funding include the use of high-performance steel for the girders and steel plate of a bridge in California, the incorporation of fiber-reinforced polymers into the deck slab of a bridge in Iowa, and the use of high-performance concrete to build the deck slab of a Chicago, Illinois structure. Of the 157 projects funded between 1998 and 2001, 84 used fiber-reinforced polymers, 30 involved high-performance concrete, 24 incorporated alternate rebars such as corrosion-resistant steel and solid stainless steel, 17 used high-performance steel, and 20 incorporated a diverse range of other technologies (note: some projects used more than one material).

TEA-21 authorized $108 million for the program, with $6 million of that targeted for research and technology deployment activities. It is expected that $17 million will be available each year for construction projects until the program concludes in 2003.

Candidate projects for FY 2002 funding were being solicited beginning in March of this year. The project solicitation will be sent to all state departments of transportation and Federal Highway Administration division offices and will also be published on the Innovative Bridge Research and Construction Web site at ibrc.fhwa.dot.gov. While bridges on all public roads are eligible for IBRC funding, applications must be submitted through a state department of transportation. The selected projects will be announced in December 2001. The selection criteria includes looking at whether the project meets one or more of the program goals, incorporates materials or products that are readily available, and is ready or nearly ready to proceed to the construction phase.

For more information on Innovative Bridge Research and Construction, contact John Hooks at 202-366-6712 or e-mail him at john.hooks@fhwa.dot.gov. More information can also be found at the IBRC Web site ibrc.fhwa.dot.gov. The site includes an overview of the program, a database of all the projects that have been funded, and opportunities to participate in an online discussion group and sign up for a list serve on new bridge materials applications.

This article is courtesy of the FHWA’s Focus.

TEA-21 Program’s Objectives

	New, cost-effective ways to use innovative materials in highway bridge applications.
	Construction techniques to increase safety and reduce construction time and traffic congestion.
	Engineering design criteria for using innovative products and materials in highway bridges and structures.
	New nondestructive bridge evaluation technologies and techniques.
	Highway bridges and structures that will withstand natural disasters, including alternative processes for the seismic retrofit of bridges.

Reprinted from Better Roads Magazine
February 2002