NDE of polymeric composite material bridge components

Rapid advancements with respect to utilization of polymeric composite materials for bridge components is occurring. This situation is driven primarily by the potential improvements offered by these materials with respect to long term durability. However, because of the developmental nature of these materials much of the materials characterization has involved short term testing without the synergistic effects of environmental exposure. Efforts to develop nondestructive evaluation procedures, essential for any wide spread use in critical structural applications, have been consequently limited. This paper discusses the effort to develop NDE methods for field inspection of hybrid glass and carbon fiber reinforced vinyl ester pultruded "double box" I beams that are installed in a small bridge over Tom's Creek, in Blacksburg, Virginia. Integrated structural element sensors, dormant infrared devices, as well as acousto-ultrasonic methods are under development for detecting and monitoring the occurrence and progression of life limiting deterioration mechanisms.