glass fibre reinforced polymer

• Bridging the Gap with Glass

The northbound bridge over the Assiniboine River will be among the first major city paving projects to use glass fibre reinforced polymer -- long, light tubes that form the skeleton of the bridge's deck. The city hasn't commonly used glass fibre reinforced polymer rods in its construction projects because they tended to be more expensive than steel rebar. Fibreglass's only drawback comes when it is immersed in wet concrete that will eventually be part of the bridge deck. Unlike steel rebar that stays stationary when doused with liquids, the fibreglass tubes float to the top in wet concrete and must be tied in place.

• Winnipeg Free Press
• August 11, 2009

• Cracks in Bridge Result of Design Error

A subsequent investigation found the decking did not have enough glass fibre-reinforced polymer rods, which are the structural supports that actually hold the concrete together, said Lance Vigfusson, assistant deputy minister of Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation. I can tell you one thing: We are going to do everything we can to protect our original investment," Vigfusson said. "How big a problem is it? I don't know, because we haven't experienced it yet. But it's going to have an impact," he said. "I guess we'll find out what the impact is when we have to move emergency equipment from one side of the river to the other.

• Winnipeg Free Press
• August 26, 2009

• City Researchers Seek to Quake-Proof Parliament

They're among Canada's most prominent and lasting heritage symbols -- but researchers at the University of Manitoba fear Ottawa's Parliament buildings might not be so enduring if a powerful earthquake hits. In a strong earthquake, the walls could suffer damage after bouncing separately from each other, "like if two people who were dancing were not synchronized," said Mufti. "We're saying, OK, we'll tie you guys together so you'll dance together. Once we develop the system, then we'll build the whole walls in Calgary and the system will be tested under (earthquake conditions)," said Mufti.

... the buildings' stone walls with bars of fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP), a stronger-than-steel maaterial that combines plastic and glass fibres. Rather than one heavy wall, most of the Pa...

• Winnipeg Free Press
• August 26, 2009

• Watchful Eye Kept On Bridges

Provincial highway and bridge officials insist there is no reason for the public to be alarmed about the state of repair of the bridges in Manitoba in light of the terrible incident in Montreal that cost five lives. They acknowledge, however, there are many bridges in the province older than their 50-year intended life span. Brad Neirinck, the bridge planning and operations engineer with the city's public works department, wouldn't speculate on the cause of the Quebec collapse, but said Winnipeg doesn't have bridges built in a similar fashion to the Montreal overpass, where the joints aren't placed over the abutments or the piers. ISIS, which is based at the University of Manitoba, develops lightweight, corrosion-free fibre reinforced polymers designed to replace steel reinforcement. It...

...Instead, it will use glass fibre polymer rods developed by ISIS. Walter Saltz...

• Winnipeg Free Press
• August 11, 2009