Spring 2014 Newsletter

FRP Bridges for Trails and Parks

FRP Trail Bridges

As a natural extension of its FiberSPAN vehicle and pedestrian bridges and decks, Composite Advantage has introduced a new product line: Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Trail Bridges for parks and recreation areas.

The key benefit?
Zero Maintenance.
This feature eliminates the financial strain conventional bridge products can place on park operations budgets. We also understand that our bridge products also need to blend with natural surroundings. That’s why we combine a highperformance structure with aesthetics. FRP materials provide superior strength and resist corrosion from water and chemicals. Our light weight bridges are easy to move and set in place. Each panel features a non-slip surface with standard color options in gray or beige. Custom colors also are available.

Zero Maintenance

• Corrosion resistant fiberglass materials offer a life span of over 50 years

Prefabricated

• Bridges are delivered fully prefabricated including optional railing systems

Easy Installation

• Light weight reduces equipment requirements

Low Cost

• Affordable acquisition cost and no maintenance costs mean FiberSPAN trail bridges offer tremendous value.

Five Rivers MetroPark Installs FiberSPAN Trail Bridge

Dayton, Ohio’s Five Rivers MetroParks has installed a prefabricated, 20-foot FiberSPAN™ trail bridge in Germantown MetroPark. Manufactured by Composite Advantage, the zeromaintenance Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) trail bridge spans a stream as part of a new trail construction project at the Germantown, Ohio park. The Dayton area’s Five Rivers MetroParks covers nearly 16,000 acres. Germantown MetroPark is considered one of the most diverse and significant natural areas managed by MetroParks.

“We were very impressed with the ease of installation of this product,” says Chris Pion, park project manager for Five Rivers MetroParks. “The bridge was light enough to make installation easy in a remote location without the use of heavy equipment. It also was installed in just one hour in single-digit temperatures.”

“The anti-slip wearing surface provides excellent slip resistance,” Pion adds. “We expect this surface to perform well in our all-weather trail application.” The fiberglass bridge was delivered to the site with curbs and steel railings attached; and meets the industry standard of 90 pounds per-square-foot pedestrian live load. CA engineers its fiberglass trail bridge and bridge deck products for superior strength, lighter weight and corrosion resistance to water and chemicals. These performance properties give the manufacturer’s bridge products a lifespan of 50-plus years.

Product Details

• Length to 35 feet
• Width to 12 feet
• Curbs or Flat Top Surface
• Non-slip Wear Surface applied in the shop
• Custom Colors for curbs at no extra cost
• Railings mounted on top or side of curbs
• Three Abutment Connection Options
• Stakes; Concrete; Steel Piles
• Design Parameters
  • 90 psf Uniform load;
  • Deflection less than span/800
  • Vehicle loads to 10,000 lb.

About Five Rivers MetroPark

DAYTON, Ohio - Celebrating 50 years of preserving green space and natural areas, Five Rivers MetroParks is a nationally renowned park system composed of natural area parks, gardens, high-quality river corridors, urban parks and a network of recreation trails. Five Rivers MetroParks protects the region’s natural heritage and provides outdoor experiences that inspire a personal connection with nature. Educational programs and recreational opportunities are offered year-round for all ages. To learn more about Five Rivers MetroParks, log onto www.metroparks.org.

Upcoming Event

The American Composite Manufacturer’s Association (ACMA) will exhibit at booth #502 at IBC and host a Workshop on FRP Composites for the 14th consecutive year. The Workshop presentations are below. Please attend if you will be at IBC.

Presentations

• Massachusetts Swing-Span Bridge: Largest FRP Deck Panel Installation - Scott Reeve
• Design and Construction of Innovative Pedestrian Bridge - A New Lifting Foot and Cycle Bridge at in Rhyll (Europe) - Garry Jolliffe
• Using GFRP Rebar as a Cost Effective Solution to Extend the Service Life of New and Replacement Bridge Decks: A Case Study of the I-635 Bridge Deck Replacement - Ryan Koch
• GFRP-Steel Hybrid Reinforced Concrete Bridge Deck Slabs in Quebec, Canada - Ehab Ahmed
• Engineered Solutions for Repair & Strengthening of Bridge Piles - Mo Ehsani
• Bridge Peak Performance Testing Comparing Steel & GFRP Rebar - Joseph Robert Yost

Trail Information Sites:

http://www.americantrails.org/

http://www.railstotrails.org/index.html