INFRASTRUCTURE

Composites end markets: Utility infrastructure (2023)

For utility poles and pipes to protective structures and cell towers, composites offer advantages like corrosion resistance, durability and light weight for ease of transport and installation.

Hannah Mason
Technical Editor, CompositesWorld

Construction

Cleveland pedestrian drawbridge features FRP decking from Creative Composites Group

Lightweight molded panels with hybrid non-skid technology system make up the new double dutch-style bascule bridge completing Cleveland’s harbor loop.

Construction

CW Tech Days webinar addresses emerging composites opportunities in infrastructure, construction

Attend this Dec. 1st interactive webinar sponsored by Composites One, where experts will review and evaluate the composite materials, processes and applications that should and will be considered for use in these markets.

Glass Fibers

SUREbridge project renovation underway in Norway

FiberCore Europe partner MSS implements SUREbridge, a sustainable composites method to strengthen and repair concrete bridges so that they can exist for 50+ years.

Pultrusion

Creative Composites Group introduces product upgrades to combat extreme weather, climate change

New StormStrong FRP technologies are engineered for key infrastructure projects that need to exceed standard resiliency specifications.

Construction

Creative Composites Group integrates Ohio, Maine molding manufacturing capabilities

Flexible approach will provide added capacity to speed up project delivery, meet increased customer demands.

Construction

National manufacturing center for FRP infrastructure opened in Australia

Four-year program between Sustainable Infrastructure Systems, InfraCore leads to internationally certified composite bridge, jetty, wharf, pontoon and lock gate manufacture, research in recycled materials.

Construction

Composites end markets: Civil infrastructure (2023)

Growth and potential grow for wider composites adoption in bridges, rebar and other concrete reinforcement and other infrastructure applications and repair.

Hannah Mason
Technical Editor, CompositesWorld

Design/Simulation

STRUCTeam, Apex Composite Structures design, engineer sustainable composite footbridge

The 12.5-meter bridge provides pedestrian access through the village of Newchurch on the Isle of Wight, inspired by a similar footbridge commissioned by Network Rail in 2009.

Pultrusion

Composite rebar for future infrastructure

GFRP eliminates risk of corrosion and increases durability fourfold for reinforced concrete that meets future demands as traffic, urbanization and extreme weather increase.

Thermoplastics

Materials & Processes: Composites fibers and resins

Compared to legacy materials like steel, aluminum, iron and titanium, composites are still coming of age, and only just now are being better understood by design and manufacturing engineers. However, composites’ physical properties — combined with unbeatable light weight — make them undeniably attractive.

Hi-Temp Resins

Materials & Processes: Resin matrices for composites

The matrix binds the fiber reinforcement, gives the composite component its shape and determines its surface quality. A composite matrix may be a polymer, ceramic, metal or carbon. Here’s a guide to selection.

Glass Fibers

Composite buildings go monocoque

Superior protection from the elements plus fast, affordable installation and maintenance have quickly made Orenco Composites’ DuraFiber buildings an attractive choice for water and wastewater, communications, transportation and power industry outbuildings.

Consumer

University of Sheffield researchers to drive structural health monitoring in U.K. infrastructure

The £7.7 million program, ROSEHIPS, anticipates exploitation of machine learning, sensing and digital twin technology for automated health monitoring in infrastructure, such as bridges, telecoms masts and wind turbines.

Construction

Why aren't composites synonymous with infrastructure?

The U.S. seems poised to invest heavily in infrastructure. Can the composites industry rise to the occasion?

Jeff Sloan
Editor-in-Chief, CompositesWorld

Glass Fibers

Refurbishing bridges at half the time, cost versus replacement

Instead of demolishing and rebuilding bridges, SUREbridge doubles the strength and durability of existing structures with an FRP deck for a smart, sustainable solution.

Glass Fibers

Dura Composites, Anderton Concrete provide single-source access to concrete trenching, GRP lid solutions

U.K. energy and infrastructure customers gain technical engineering support and local supply of durable precast concrete trenches and pultruded GRP trough lid offerings.

Materials

Re-Wind Network successfully installs repurposed wind blade pedestrian bridge

The Ireland-based, five-meter-long BladeBridge solution has undergone extensive materials and mechanical testing to ensure application suitability.

Pultrusion

Fibrolux supports Polish bridge with custom pultruded deck beams

More than 16 kilometers of fiberglass-pultruded profiles double Marshal Jozef Pilsudski Bridge capacity and upgrade its durability.

Construction

Composites end markets: Civil infrastructure (2022)

Composites continue to longer service life, reduced maintenance and faster installation, driving growth in bridges, water treatment and storage systems, rebar and other concrete reinforcement.

Aerospace

Daher lays the cornerstone for Shap’In composite aerostructures innovation center

Based in the Nantes, France region, the Shap’In TechCenter combines R&D and a production plant within a single facility, capitalizing on Daher’s composites expertise.

Carbon Fibers

Materials & Processes: Fibers for composites

The structural properties of composite materials are derived primarily from the fiber reinforcement. Fiber types, their manufacture, their uses and the end-market applications in which they find most use are described.

Staff

Construction

Composites end markets: Utility infrastructure (2022)

Durability, corrosion resistance and a variety of other factors make composite materials an increasingly popular material for a variety of utility infrastructure applications, from utility poles to trench covers.

Wind/Energy

Re-Wind Network releases repurposed blade design catalog

Re:Wind Design fall catalog presents designs and details of structures and products developed from EOL wind blades, as well as the research team’s services for those interested in repurposing their own.

Materials

Anmet installs first recycled wind turbine blade-based pedestrian bridge

Polish recycling company Anmet and partner GP Renewables Group aim to repurpose decommissioned composite wind turbine blades for infrastructure and consumer products.

Glass Fibers

Saudi Aramco inaugurates first GFRP rebar production facility

A joint venture between Pultron and IKK now has a dedicated facility, IKK Mateenbar, to manufacture and supply corrosion-free fiberglass rebar for infrastructure projects in Saudia Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa.

Construction

ST Bungalow to demonstrate fiberglass roofing solution from recycled wind blades

The New York-based startup recently partnered with a wind blade recycling company and plans to produce its first full-scale prototypes this year.

Design/Simulation

LivMatS biomimetic flax fiber Pavilion opens to the public

Made entirely of filament-wound flax fiber, the livMatS Pavilion combines integrative design, robotic fabrication and sustainable materials for a highly innovative, bio-inspired construction.

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