In the last two decades, the rapid deterioration of bridge structures has become a serious technical and economical problem in many countries, including highly developed ones. Therefore, bridge rehabilitation has also become a very essential factor (sometimes even a decisive one) in contemporary bridge engineering. The book covers in synthetic form nearly all the most important problems concerning bridge rehabilitation, such as bridge superstructure and substructure, the typical damage observed in bridges as well as the assessment and evaluation techniques of their technical condition. The book is intended mainly for postgraduate university students. Therefore, all the problems are mostly presented in their physical, chemical and technical as well as economical aspects. The relevant requirements are treated as objective ones, i.e. irrespective of the rules, standards, regulations or guidelines particular to any country. This approach to the subject gives the book a more general character and therefore makes it a useful text for most civil engineering courses./a

"This CD-ROM consists of eight papers that were presented by ACI Committee 440 at the Spring Convention in Atlanta, GA, in April 2007"--Site Web de l'éditeur

This report presents the rapid methods used by state highway agencies for the protection, repair and rehabilitation of bridge decks. The report is based on a review of the literature; the responses to questionnaires sent to state departments of transportation, Canadian provinces, selected turnpike and thruway authorities, technology transfer centers, and material suppliers; and the evaluation of 50 bridge decks located in seven states. Polymer overlays, sealers, high-early strength hydraulic cement concrete overlays, and patches are compared for their performance characteristics and service life.

Strengthening of Concrete Structures Using Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP): Design, Construction and Practical Applications presents a best practice guide on the structural design and strengthening of bridge structures using advanced Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites. The book briefly covers the basic concepts of FRP materials and composite mechanics, while focusing on practical design and construction issues, including inspection and quality control, paying special attention to the differences in various design codes (US, Japan, and Europe) and recommendations. At present, several design guides from the US, Japan, and Europe are available. These guidelines are often inconsistent and do not cover all necessary design and inspection issues to the same degree of detail. This book provides a critical review and comparison of these guidelines, and then puts forward best practice recommendations, filling a significant gap in the literature, and serving as an important resource for engineers, architects, academics, and students interested in FRP materials and their structural applications. Written from a practitioner's point-of-view, it is a valuable design book for structural engineers all over the world. - Includes a large quantity of design examples and structural software to facilitate learning and help readers perform routine design - Provides recommendations for best practices in design and construction for the strengthening of bridge structures using advanced fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites - Presents comprehensive guidelines on design, inspection, and quality control, including laboratory and field testing information

Protecting the natural environment and promoting sustainability have become important objectives, but achieving such goals presents myriad challenges for even the most committed environmentalist. American Environmentalism: Philosophy, History, and Public Policy examines whether competing interests can be reconciled while developing consistent, coherent, effective public policy to regulate uses and protection of the natural environment without destroying the national economy. It then reviews a range of possible solutions. The book delves into key normative concepts that undergird American perspectives on nature by providing an overview of philosophical concepts found in the western intellectual tradition, the presuppositions inherent in neoclassical economics, and anthropocentric (human-centered) and biocentric (earth-centered) positions on sustainability. It traces the evolution of attitudes about nature from the time of the Ancient Greeks through Europeans in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and the American Founders, the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and up to the present. Building on this foundation, the author examines the political landscape as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), industry leaders, and government officials struggle to balance industrial development with environmental concerns. Outrageous claims, silly misrepresentations, bogus arguments, absurd contentions, and overblown prophesies of impending calamities are bandied about by many parties on all sides of the debate—industry spokespeople, elected representatives, unelected regulators, concerned citizens, and environmental NGOs alike. In lieu of descending into this morass, the author circumvents the silliness to explore the crucial issues through a more focused, disciplined approach. Rather than engage in acrimonious debate over minutiae, as so often occurs in the context of "green" claims, he recasts the issue in a way that provides a cohesive look at all sides. This effort may be quixotic, but how else to cut the Gordian knot?

This synthesis will be of interest to state department of transportation bridge design and structural engineers, bridge consultants, and others involved in applied and research methods for increasing the live load capacity of existing highway bridges. The synthesis describes the current state of the practice for the various methods used to increase the live load capacity of existing highway bridges. This is done predominantly for bridges in the short- to medium-span range. Information on the more common bridge material types is presented. There is an emphasis on superstructure rather than substructure strengthening.