ALUM BANK, Pennsylvania - The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture will invest $2.8 billion this year in critical deferred maintenance projects, transportation improvements and recreation infrastructure for national parks, wildlife refuges and recreation areas. With park visits on the rise, engineers are specifying bridges, boardwalks, sidewalks and trails that can support ambulance and maintenance vehicles. To meet this requirement, Creative Composites Group (CCG) has introduced its new pultruded Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) H-5 SuperDeck Lite deck profile.
“Traditionally, park trail bridges and pedestrian access structures have used treated timber decks,” says Dustin Troutman, director of product development for CCG. “Agencies are telling us that they are only getting about 10 years of performance life out of treated lumber. It’s difficult to assess the structural integrity of wood decking for supporting a 10,000 lb. vehicle as it ages and begins to rot and decay. A large number of national parks don’t want to use treated wood because the preservatives leach into the environment.”
SuperDeck Lite is available in standard isophthalic polyester and vinyl ester resin systems with a fire retardant option. Aesthetically pleasing, the product is designed to blend with its surroundings and is available in slate gray, olive green and beige. An ADA-compliant anti-skid surface enhances safety.
Creative Composites Group (CCG) supplies innovative Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) products for major infrastructure markets. CCG has the design-build and structural fabrication expertise to provide engineered systems and OEM solutions. CCG’s combined team of engineers and technicians have been developing lightweight, durable, cost-effective FRP products for structurally demanding applications and corrosive environments for more than 50 years. Many of these products have paved the way for first-time use of engineered FRP composites for demanding infrastructure markets including: utility, rail, bridges and waterfront applications because of FRP's high-performance attributes. CCG is owned by Hill & Smith Holdings.