Behavior of basalt-FRP reinforced self-compacting concrete (SCC) deck slabs in a real bridge considering arching action

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) material is advocated for use in bridge structures to solve the corrosion and degradation problem of conventional steel reinforcements, thereby improving its durability and service life. Also, compared with ordinary concrete, self-compacting concrete (SCC) mixed with abundant industrial waste materials is expected to achieve sustainable development of concrete infrastructure. However, the research examining the performance of FRP reinforced SCC slabs in a real bridge is rather limited. This paper describes the application of basalt-FRP (BFRP) in a real bridge deck slab cast with low energy SCC. Since few studies have considered arching action on a real bridge deck slab, this paper aims at extending previous laboratory research using glass-FRP (GFRP) and BFRP reinforcement in in-plane restrained slabs to real bridge deck slabs. This study primarily investigates the serviceability behavior of real bridge deck slabs and utilizes the arching theory to predict their ultimate bearing capacity. The bearing capacities of real bridge deck slabs have been compared with the current specification requirements and the predictions considering arching theory. The test results indicate that a significantly low percentage of FRP reinforcement is possible in real bridge deck slabs due to the advantageous arching action.