Polymer bridges and structures projected to last 100 years or more will take center stage at a national composite building materials conference organized by West Virginia University.
Polymer Composites Conference III will be March 30-April 1 at the Radisson Hotel on Morgantown’s waterfront. WVU ’s Constructed Facilities Center, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and College of Engineering and Mineral Resources are the hosts.
Gov. Bob Wise will be the keynote speaker during a noon luncheon March 31.
Researchers, designers, manufacturers, contractors and government leaders will exchange ideas on development and use of fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials that have revolutionized the construction industry. These materials are being used in design and construction of highways, bridges, pipes, poles and military infrastructure.
WVU is a leader in composite building materials withSuperdeckandProdeck,bridge decks that are one-eighth as heavy as traditional materials such as concrete but more durable.
More than 30 bridges made of composite materials cross waterways in West Virginia, and 140 such spans exist in the nation, said Hota GangaRao, director of the Constructed Facilities Center. Their life expectancy is 100 years, double the 50-year span of most bridges.
Polymer composite materials also went into the construction of the West Virginia Department of Transportation building in Weston, GangaRao added. That structure has a life expectancy of 100 years as well.
The goal of Polymer Composites Conference III is to broadcast success stories, review new opportunities in infrastructure renewal and security, and discuss the resulting economic development.
Participants will demonstrate the successful use of composites in infrastructure renewal, detailing their cost-effectiveness, design, construction and performance. They will also present current and proposed design specifications to enhance the nation’s security, discuss viable Department of Defense uses, and give an update on recent advances in manufacturing processes and materials development.
There will also be several exhibits from industries and researchers.
Visit the conference Web site at http://www.cemr.wvu.edu/cfc/conference for more information.