Bridge enhancement by means of the UHPFRC Technology: concepts and applications

Existing bridges in reinforced concrete (RC) need to be enhanced in order to comply with utilization and safety requirements of future use, in particular for higher traffic loads. Such enhancements comprise strengthening to increase the structural resistance and improvement of the durability. New technologies such as the UHPFRC Technology need are now implemented in practice for the enhancement of existing bridges. With its outstanding mechanical properties, UHPFRC complemented with steel reinforcing bars serves effectively as an additional reinforcement increasing the ultimate and fatigue resistance of RC bridge elements. UHPFRC is waterproof and thus protecting the RC bridge elements. The UHPFRC Technology has been applied in Switzerland for more than 15 years. The basic structural concepts to enhance RC bridges by using the UHPFRC Technology is presented and three recent applications are highlighted.