The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) constructed its first glass fiber polymer (GFRP) reinforced bridge deck on MN 42over Dry Creek just north of Elgin, Minnesota. Successful implementation of the GFRP reinforced bridge decks would eliminate the steel corrosion problems that often shorten the life of the deck. Although there has been wide use of GFRP reinforcement in bridge decks in some parts of Canada, there have been relatively few GFRP reinforced bridge decks built in the United States. The Canadian decks were primarily designed using the empirical design method in the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code. This method differs significantly from the design guidelines produced by AASHTO and ACI Committee 440 on fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement. To maximize the knowledge and experience gained in constructing this type of bridge decks, this research project investigates the performance of a case-study bridge deck focusing on key issues such as cracking, deck stiffness, load distribution factors, and GFRP rebar strains. The report for this project can be downloaded from the Minnesota DOT web site at http://www.dot.state.mn.us/research/reports/2020/202005.pdf
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