Concrete is used in construction projects all over the world, from roads and bridges to structural buildings. While itself a strong building material, concrete is often reinforced to increase that strength.
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Researchers at University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan have determined smart memory alloys are a safer and more cost-effective alternative to steel reinforced concrete bridges in earthquake-prone areas like the Lower Mainland in B.C. Memory alloys, which can be flexed without experiencing permanent damage, can maintain a bridge’s structural integrity and significantly reduce repair costs after a seismic event, finds the study.
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Last month, Indigenous and Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke and Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) president Chris Goertzen announced the province’s 2017 Municipal Road and Bridge Program.
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Many Canadian bridges have been deteriorating for decades or repaired and re-repaired throughout the years. How do the responsible authorities prioritize which concrete infrastructure needs to be fixed or strengthened and which needs to be outright replaced?
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On bridge projects around the world, delays caused by traffic congestion and detours at infrastructure construction sites have significant impacts on indirect costs. Consequently, there is a need for speed—and a construction method called accelerated bridge construction (ABC).
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When a reinforced concrete bridge deck is subjected to freeze-thaw cycles and de-icing salts over a number of years, the ensuing deterioration drastically reduces the structure’s service life and results in costly maintenance or early replacement. In such severe environments, high-performance concrete (HPC) is often required because of its superior strength and low permeability. Unfortunately, HPC also has a tendency to crack prematurely if not properly cured.
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