Light Weight, Design Flexibility Make FRP Cantilever Sidewalks COVID-19 Compliant

 DAYTON, Ohio (June 29, 2020)  Demand for walkable urban places coupled with the growing number of pedestrians has vehicle bridge owners looking for ways to add sidewalks to provide safe places for people to walk and ride.  The weight and cost associated with traditional concrete is typically prohibitive and time to cure disruptive. The new requirement for social distancing is boosting demand for sidewalks up to 15 ft. wide. Composite Advantage’s lightweight FiberSPAN-C fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) cantilever sidewalk products are COVID-19 compliant.

The cost-effective FRP panels are 80 percent lighter than reinforced concrete panels. Because the cantilevered sidewalk is prefabricated, construction is quicker and installation costs lower. FRP composite material’s corrosion resistance to chemicals and water means zero maintenance for a structure that will last nearly 100 years.  “Cantilever sidewalk designs depend on a number of functional and load requirements,” says Scott Reeve, marketing director for Composite Advantage, now part of the Creative Composites Group. “One has to consider daily traffic volumes, whether or not the sidewalk will have to accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists and whether or not the sidewalk will be used to view special events.”

Design flexibility allows FRP sidewalks to be engineered and installed on both sides of a bridge to accommodate the ebb and flow of commuters, recreationists and bicyclists. FRP is able to support a pedestrian live load of 90 pounds per square feet. For sidewalks that are seven ft. to 10 ft. wide, FRP panels are designed to support a maintenance vehicle weighing 10,000 lbs. FRP sidewalks wider than 10 ft. can accommodate an ambulance weighing 20,000 lbs. Different railing styles are available with heights ranging from 42 in. to 54 in.  CA uses a commercial polymer aggregate system to provide a non-slip surface overlay. Color options are available to provide aesthetics or direct traffic flow

Composite Advantage supplies innovative fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) products for major infrastructure markets. To create its engineered solutions, CA pairs progressive designs with its capability to mold large parts, perform on-site assembly, and support customer installations.  The supplier has been developing lightweight, high-strength, cost-effective FRP goods for structurally demanding applications and corrosive environments since 2005. Many of these products have paved the way for first-time use of FRP composites in infrastructure, rail and water applications because of their performance attributes.  The supplier’s comprehensive lineup includes bridge decks, trail bridges, cantilever sidewalks and rail platforms to fender protection systems, pilings, naval ship separators and other waterfront structures. CA is member of the Creative Composites Group, a subsidiary of Hill and Smith Holdings PLC.

Visit www.compositeadvantage.com or contact Composite Advantage at 937-723-9031 or info@compositeadvantage.com.