Composite Materials for Bridge Engineering Applications: Experiences and Future Studies

Dear Colleagues,

Composite materials were and still are extensively used for strengthening and retrofitting structure life-cycle prolongation. It was stated and confirmed that this usage was successful, especially for the heritage of monumental structures. Hence, the motivation for their application toward replacing parts of existing structures and realizing new ones is reasonable and becomes more and more expected, especially in bridge engineering. However, composite material bridges are currently built in various limited situations, mainly as footbridges of different possible designs. Notwithstanding the enormous efforts of academic researchers and industry, new research and results for potential applications of composite materials for bridge engineering are needed. This Special Issue plans to overview the most recent advances in composite materials and their applications in bridge engineering. The Special Issue will also provide the synthesis of potential calculation procedures that will support the designed process of future composite materials structures.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Reinforcement of existing bridge structures by composite materials;
• Composite materials as structural tissue of new bridges;
• Vibration serviceability of composite materials footbridges;
• Structural health monitoring of composite materials bridges;
• Proposals of new calculation procedures for composite materials bridges.

Dr. Izabela Joanna Drygała
Dr. Nicola Nisticò
Mr. Marco Damiani
Guest Editors

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