TRB Webinar: Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Systems for Concrete Structures

Bridge engineers were invited to a TRB webinar on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM ET. The webinar provided a summary of the findings from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)’s Research Report 907: Design of Concrete Bridge Beams Prestressed with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Systems.

Due to the differences in the physical and mechanical behavior from steel, CFRP materials require guidance to be used by engineers in building concrete structures like bridges. The presenter also discussed design material properties, prestress losses, flexural design for prestress and post-tension applications, and serviceability limits.

The slides are available. Contact TRB webinar for a copy of the recorded webinar.

Webinar Presenter

• Abdeldjelil Belarbi, University of Houston

Moderated by: Matt Chynoweth, Michigan Department of Transportation

Webinar Outline

1. Introduction to carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP)
2. CFRP mechanical properties and behavior
3. Design material properties
4. Prestress losses
5. Flexural design for prestress and post-tension applications
6. Serviceability limits
7. Step-by-step design example
8. Question and answer session

The first 60 minutes of the webinar will be for presentations and the final 30 minutes will be reserved for audience questions.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) bars and cables
2. Describe the flexural design procedures of concrete beams prestressed with CFRP systems
3. Apply the AASHTO-LRFD design specifications using the CFRP systems
4. Discuss the step-by-step design examples for use of CFRP for prestressing

Professional Development Hour Information

A certificate for 1.5 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) will be provided to Professional Engineers (PEs) who register and attend the webinar as an individual. For approved webinars, TRB’s webinar program awards Registered Continuing Education Provider (RCEP) Professional Development Hour (PDH) credits associated with participation only to the registered individual and not to other members of a group that view the webinar together. To receive PDH credits, please register as an individual and sign into the webinar from your personal computer. After doing this, you may join your group in a meeting room.  To be eligible for the credits, individuals must remain signed in for the entire webinar, including for any question and answer session following the presentations.

Individuals registered as Florida PEs are no longer required to email TRB with your license number to report your attendance. Instead, please use your certificate that TRB provides through RCEP.net as verification of your attendance to the Florida Board of Professional Engineers.

Please check with your licensing board to ensure that TRB webinar PDHs are approved by your board.

This webinar was developed in March 2019. TRB has met the standards and requirements of the Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP). Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to RCEP by TRB. Complaints about registered providers may be sent to RCEP, 1015 15th Street, NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20005. Website: www.RCEP.net.