Committees

A number of committee activities from professional organizations are addressing the recommended use and specification of FRP composites.  Many organizations have published codes, standards, test methods and specifications for FRP composites and their products for the respective products.  For example in the FRP pipe market, design standards, test methods, and recommended practices were published by the American Petroleum Institute (API), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American Water Works Association (AWWA), Underwriter Laboratories (UL), and others.  In the corrosion resistant structural equipment market, ASME published an industry standard called RTP-1.  In RTP-1, the document provides purchasers of corrosion-resistant composite equipment with guidelines for the specification of high-quality, cost-effective and high-performance equipment.  The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) published recognized industry test methods for FRP composites used in all markets.

Organization	Committee
American Concrete Institute (ACI)	440 – Composites for Concrete 440C – State-of-the-art-Report 440D – Research 410E – Professional Educations 440F – Repair 440G – Student Education 400H – Reinforced Concrete (rebar) 440I – Prestressed Concrete (tendons) 440J – Structural Stay-in-Place Formwork 440K – Material Characterization 400L - Durability
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)	Structural Composites and Plastics
American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM)	ASTM D20.18.01 – FRP Materials for Concrete ASTM D20.18.02 – Pultruded Profiles ASTM D30.30.01 – Composites for Civil Engineering
AASHTO Bridge Subcommittee	T-21 - FRP Composites
International Federation of Structural Concrete (FIB)	Task group on FRP
Canadian Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE)	ACMBS – Advanced Composite Materials for Bridges and Structures
Japan Society of Civil Engineers	Research Committee on Concrete Structures with Externally Bonded Continuous Fiber Reinforcing materials
Transportation Research Board	A2C07 – FRP Composites

For almost twenty years, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has operated a technical committee called Structural Composites and Plastics (SCAP) to address the design and implementation of composites.  This committee published a design manual in the early 1980’s and is currently working to update this manual to address the many FRP composite products developed over the years.

The American Concrete Institute, and its Committee 440 with ten different subcommittees, address FRP composites in concrete in such topics as state-of-the-art, research, professional and student education, repair, rebar, prestressing, and stay-in-place structural formwork.  These highly active committees are focused to produce guidance documents for the engineer.  In particular, ACI 440F is developing a document titled “Guide for the Design and Construction of Externally Bonded FRP Systems for Strengthening Concrete Structures”.  This landmark publication, reviews the state-of-the-art, provides guidelines for application and selection, design recommendations, and construction techniques for the use of FRP materials to repair, strengthen, or upgrade concrete structures.  The ACI 440H committee is developing a similar document of FRP rebar titled “Guide for the Design and Construction of Concrete Reinforced with FRP Bars”.  The proposed guideline reviews knowledge based on research and field applications of FRP bars worldwide.

Several ASTM committees are currently working on consensus test methods for the use of rebars, repair materials, and pultruded structural profiles.  In ASTM D20.18.01 (FRP Materials for Concrete) committee, industry experts are addressing materials and products to develop standard test methods for FRP rebar and repair materials.  In ASTM D20.18.02 is a committee focused on the development of test methods for FRP pultruded profiles and shapes.  The ASTM D30.30.01 (Composites for Civil Engineering) committee addresses FRP composites products used construction.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Bridge Committee established a subcommittee in 1997 called “T-21 Composites”.  This committee has an ongoing effort to develop design guidelines for of the use of composites in bridge applications including FRP reinforced concrete, concrete repair, and vehicular bridge deck panels.

Organizations

The Civil Engineering Research Foundation (CERF), the research arm of the American Society of Civil Engineers is actively engaged with technology transfer of new cutting edge technologies.  One of CERF’s programs, Highway Innovation Technology Evaluation Center (HITEC), coordinates product evaluations between the end-user community and industry to produce highway products that meet the needs of the end-user with the program results being shared with all State DOT bridge departments.  HITEC has provided the civil engineering community with several product evaluation programs that address the use of composites.  One program in particular, FRP Composite Bridge Decks, has developed an evaluation plan for several composites bridge manufacturers for testing, design, and performance of bridge deck panels manufactured with FRP materials.

The Intelligent Sensing for Innovative Structures (ISIS) of the Canadian Network of Centers of Excellence was established to advance civil engineering to a world leadership position through the development and application of FRP composites and an integrated intelligent fiber optic sensing technology to benefit all Canadians through innovative and intelligent infrastructure.  ISIS Canada, through its universities, has coordinated a team of professionals dedicated to advancing technology by building better roads, buildings, and bridges.  ISIS has many research projects and field evaluations under study that demonstrate successful implementation of FRP composites with validated design and testing as well as techniques to document the in-field service of new products and systems.  ISIS Canada is credited with building the first smart sensing FRP composite bridge and continues to make advancements in the areas of concrete repair, bridge construction with FRP rebars and tendons, and roadways.

Several professional societies from around the world have published design codes for FRP Rebar.  In Canada, the civil engineers have documented design procedures in the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code for the use of FRP rebars.  The Japan Society of Civil Engineers has published a code that provides design recommendations for the use of FRP rebars and tendons. 

Standards Development

Several global activities are taking place to implement FRP composites materials and products into respective design codes and guidelines.  The following summarizes this activity:

In April 1997, The International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) published AC125 “Acceptance Criteria for Concrete and Unreinforced Masonry Strengthening Using Fiber-Reinforced Composite Systems”.  ICBO has also published individual company product evaluation reports on FRP systems used to strengthen concrete and masonry structural elements such as columns, beams, slabs, and connections of wall to slab.

Technology Transfer

Many academic institutions in the North America, as well as around the world are actively engaged in research involving FRP applications for civil infrastructure.  Several universities have distinguished themselves as centers of excellence in specific fields of expertise.  Universities and State Departments of Transportation often collaborate on the evaluation and implementation of FRP composites that best meet the needs of the State.

The Fed Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) through the TEA-21 Innovative Bridge Research and Construction Program (IBRC) has provided new construction materials the opportunity to meet the goals of reducing maintenance and life-cycle costs of bridge structures.  Funds are provided for the Federal share of the cost for repair, rehabilitation, replacement, and new construction of bridges using innovative materials.  Each year since the first solicitation in 1998, FRP composites led other innovative construction materials for funding to demonstrate the unique benefits being sought by FHWA to build a better and long-lasting infrastructure.

Many societies, trade associations, academic institutions and organizations worldwide host periodic conferences, trade shows, and seminars in forums that educate as well as transfer state-of-the-art technology to end-users.  Some of the conferences are listed below:

	ACMBS Advanced Composites Materials for Bridges and Structures (Canada)
	ASCE Construction and Materials Congress
	PORTS, every three years (2001, 2004)
	Structures Congress
	American Composites Manufacturer's Association (formerly Composites Fabricators Association -CFA) annual conference and exposition, early fall
	FRPRCS Fiber-Reinforced Polymers for Reinforced Concrete Structures (International)
	IBC International Bridge Conference, annual, June
	ICCI International Conference on Composites for Infrastructure
	SAMPE Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, annual conference and exposition, late spring/early summer.

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