Carbon fiber bridges.....

On Aug 5, 4:02 pm, Crescentius Vespasianus
wrote:
Heard a report that the Minneapolis
bridge collapsed due to the effect on
steel that the extreme temperatures in
that area produces. If steel breaks due
to contraction and expansion maybe they
should use some other material, like CF.


Nonsense. Everybody knows that steel bridges are
best when lugged and constructed by a reputable
builder, but steel bridges/frames of unusual design
(which this one was) may require extra gussets to
avoid fatigue at the joints. Bontrager pointed this
out. CF bridges ride exceptionally smoothly but are
expensive and monocoque construction requires a
prohibitively large mold. Nobody uses aluminum
bridges because they ride too harshly.

Ben

On Aug 8, 5:05 am, "
wrote:
On Aug 5, 4:02 pm, Crescentius Vespasianus
wrote:

Heard a report that the Minneapolis
bridge collapsed due to the effect on
steel that the extreme temperatures in
that area produces. If steel breaks due
to contraction and expansion maybe they
should use some other material, like CF.

Nonsense. Everybody knows that steel bridges are
best when lugged and constructed by a reputable
builder, but steel bridges/frames of unusual design
(which this one was) may require extra gussets to
avoid fatigue at the joints. Bontrager pointed this
out. CF bridges ride exceptionally smoothly but are
expensive and monocoque construction requires a
prohibitively large mold. Nobody uses aluminum
bridges because they ride too harshly.

Ben

But seriously,

There are a number of all-composite bridges (do a google search -
mostly using glass fibres but cheaper carbon fibre makes it likely
eventually) and carbon fibre wrapping of concrete pillars is used as a
repair/risk mitigation application.