Regulatory Resources Joins Project Group
Studying Composite Bridge Deck Technology
Richard Krolewski, founder of Regulatory Resources LLC, has been named to the project team studying the use of sensors for safety inspection and evaluation of bridges with FRP composites. Known as FRPs, fiber-reinforced polymer composites replace the traditional steel reinforcement with non-corrosive high-strength material that can extend the life of bridges.
The group is currently proposing a demonstration project to replace an aging concrete bridge deck system in Morgan County, TN, with a fiber reinforced composite deck that will be outfitted with multiple sensors for monitoring the health of the bridge decking. The project team will coordinate with TDOT to integrate its bridge inspection criteria and inspection protocols. The DOT Advisory Board, which is facilitated by Regulatory Resources, will serve as a resource for the project team.
Other team members include IACMI – The Composites Institute, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Composite Applications Group and Luna Innovations Inc.
Projects such as these are the key to smart infrastructure rebuilding,” Krolewski said. These types of project will help us to a develop lifecycle cost analysis for composite bridge decking that will demonstrate the long-term benefits of this type of technology for taxpayers and everybody who is frustrated by driving over our crumbling roads.
Regulatory Resources and the DOT Advisory Board will report on the project as it continues.
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FRP Initiative
One of the key initiatives of Regulatory Resources LLC is to promote non-corrosive reinforcement options for concrete structures. Through the FRP Initiative, we are working for greater recognition of fiber reinforced polymers as a viable, non-corrosive alternative to steel reinforcement.
The FRP initiative will create a space for unbiased and sound technical information based on consensus standards, focused on practical implementation, design advice and training, third-party qualification and oversight, plant certification, and independent quality assurance testing.
Having worked with 42 DOTs over the last 18 years to create this same type of third-party QA/QC programming in the precast concrete industry, we are tuned into the needs of DOTs. And one of the ways that Regulatory Resources can assist DOTs is in closing the gaps in helping to implement a formalized approach to recognizing FRPs and building acceptance for this important non-corrosive material.
DOT Advisory Board
As the facilitator of the DOT Advisory Board, Regulatory Resources LLC seeks to bridge the information gap between project owners, third-party certification programs and manufacturers. By fostering open communication and working on shared concerns, our goal is to create data transfer processes between these three groups that ensures efficient QA/QC verification through the use of readily available technology.