The goal of this study was to develop viable tools that utilize ultrasonic smart piezoelectric material (lead zirconate titanate, PZT) to assess the condition of concrete bridges. Existing non-destructive testing methods for inspecting concrete structures all suffer from limitations in accuracy, cost, maneuverability, in situ capability, and implementation. The researchers determined that the surface-mounted PZT system tested was effective in determining the wave modulus of elasticity of concrete structures and is a promising alternative nondestructive technique for assessing concrete properties.

In this study, recycled glass fiber reinforced polymer composites from end-of-life wind turbine blades were evaluated as a replacement for sand in cement mortar. In the last two decades, glass-based materials in the form of powder or fibers from recycled bottles and other products, and more recently recycled glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites from end-of-life products or industrial waste, have been incorporated into cement-based mixtures in various proof-of-concept designs. To understand better how GFRP would affect the properties of mortar, researchers conducted a feasibility study to compare different GFRP sizes and percentages.

In past decades, many state departments of transportation and the Federal Highway Administration have begun working with ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), an advanced cementitious material. WSDOT has not used UHPC in highway bridge applications, such as connection joints for precast concrete decks and girders, because of the concrete’s high cost and because of general lack of experience with it. The goal of this project was to develop a UHPC mixture using materials available locally and domestically as an alternative to commercially available, pre-packaged UHPC products.