Strengthening a Critical Bridge in Ecuador

Located in a major transportation hub in Ecuador, this bridge is a crucial link between the city and surrounding industrial areas, with a large volume of freight traffic passing through daily. Professional inspection revealed: 

• Multiple longitudinal cracks in the main beams, some reaching a width of 0.3mm, exceeding the permissible limit; significant carbonation depth in the concrete;

• Localized corrosion of the reinforcing steel; and a reduction in the beam's flexural capacity of approximately 15% compared to the design value.

After comparing traditional reinforcement methods, the team selected 2mm prestressed carbon fiber plate reinforcement technology. 

The advantages of this solution are:

* Material compatibility: 

The 2mm carbon fiber plate is thin and flexible, allowing it to closely conform to the curved surface of the beam. Its light weight (approximately 6kg/m²) results in negligible additional load on the original structure.

* Significant performance improvement: 

Through prestressing, the carbon fiber plate generates pre-compression stress in advance, effectively offsetting the tensile stress on the beam under load and significantly improving its bending capacity.

* Highly efficient and environmentally friendly construction: 

No large equipment is required; on-site wet construction generates no dust or noise pollution, meeting Quito's environmental requirements for municipal engineering projects.

After reinforcement, load tests and long-term monitoring verified the following: 

• the width of existing cracks in the beam was reduced to less than 0.1mm, and no new cracks appeared;

• the bridge's flexural capacity increased by approximately 22%, fully meeting current traffic load requirements;

• the 2mm carbon fiber plate bonded firmly to the concrete, with no delamination or slippage, demonstrating excellent durability.

This case study demonstrates the application of prestressed carbon fiber plates in the reinforcement of municipal bridges in Ecuador, providing a "lightweight, efficient, and durable" technical paradigm for the upgrading and renovation of aging concrete structures in the region.