The Civil Engineering Research Foundation (CERF) has selected University of Missouri-Rolla’s Greene County bridge project as one of two finalists for the foundation’s 2006 Charles Pankow Award for Innovation.

This award, given annually since 1996, recognizes the contribution of organizations working collaboratively to demonstrate innovative approaches to in design, materials use, or the construction process. The winner will be announced April 26 at the annual American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Outstanding Projects and Leaders awards program in Washington, D.C.

Bridge 14802301, a 73-year-old bridge located on Farm Road 148 in Springfield, Mo., was in need of upgrade due to severe structural and functional inadequacy. Its replacement, having the state’s first bridge deck constructed using prefabricated glass fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement, opened to travelers in January 2006.

The new bridge and guardrail system was developed in a cooperative effort among UMR; the University of Wisconsin-Madison; industry members of the UMR NSF Industry-University Cooperative Research Center, including Strongwell Corp. and Hughes Brothers Inc.; and in coordination with the engineer-of-record, Great River Engineering, and contractor Hartman Construction of Springfield.

The replacement bridge, funded with a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, combines the corrosion resistance of FRP internal reinforcement with the speed of installation of lightweight, stay-in-place, modular FRP panels. This new technique promises to benefit bridge owners by minimizing maintenance costs and reducing disruption of traffic during construction.

Dr. Antonio Nanni, the Vernon and Maralee Jones Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering, is leading UMR’s research into how composite materials can be used to rehabilitate existing structures, as well as to construct new bridges.

The project research and development work and transition to the field application was coordinated by Fabio Matta, a doctoral student in structural engineering at UMR.