The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) recently announced it has used carbon fiber strips that are “coated and strengthened with a reinforcing polymer” to fix girders on state highway bridges in Phoenix. According to ADOT, one of those bridges is no longer listed as structurally deficient as a result.
As ADOT explains, the term “structurally deficient” doesn’t mean a bridge is unsafe to use. It means certain repair needs, including component replacement, have been identified through an inspection. Less than 2 percent of ADOT bridges are listed as structurally deficient.
“Our ADOT Bridge Group focuses on using new and innovative bridge-repair technologies that enhance safety while saving time and taxpayer dollars,” said ADOT Senior Bridge Engineer William Downes. “The reinforced fiber strips add strength to the girders and are designed to limit the amount of debris that could fall should a girder be struck again.”
