Fast installation of infrastructure
There is one thing pretty much we all agree on and that’s we hate disruption and delays. The installation of infrastructure can cause a lot of disruption and delays. Which can cause a lot of public frustration. Safety is always another factor to consider both for workers and the public.
To improve the installation speed and thus reduce disruption one option is to use prefabricated FRP structures. The lightweight properties on FRP mean the prefabricated structures can moved into place with relative ease compared to concrete and steel structures.
FRP structures have many other benefits including corrosion and chemical resistance. Longevity is also an excellent feature of FRP, requiring virtually zero maintenance.
FRP structures such as bridges can assembled outside of the jobsite and simply be lifted into place. Meaning the final structure can be very quickly put together and minimise any associated disruption. An example of this is the Banyo rail bridge in Queensland installed above 25,000v power lines. Around 600 daily passengers use the station, therefore the installation should cause the least amount of inconvenience.
Other considerations for the Banyo bridge were, maximum design life with minimal life cycle cost, offsite construction and minimal maintenance. The total structure weighed in at 6 Tonnes. A similar structure in structure in steel would be around 21 Tonnes.
Boardwalks and walkways are also integral parts of infrastructure and can also benefit with the use of FRP structures and grating. The large panel size and lightweight nature of FRP grating mean a small team can very quickly install a large square meterage in a short time. Again minimising any disruption such installations can cause.
We have only briefly touched on the numerous benefits of FRP products and structures. If you would like to explore what options are available for your next project please contact us and a member of the Composite Engineering team will be happy to discuss your options.
You can read more about some of infrastructure projects here: