DEFORMATION ANALYSIS OF A MODULAR CONNECTION SYSTEM BY DIGITAL IMAGE CORRELATION

After more than ten years of study, researchers of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) have developed a new non-alkaline mineral polymer, a kind of structural ceramic, named IPC (Inorganic Phosphate Cement). This ceramic material can be reinforced by glass fibers in order to increase the toughness, the tensile strength and the stiffness of the resulting composite material. In a recent project, the glass fiber reinforced IPC material is combined with traditional materials such as concrete, in the context of a new bridge structure. A 13 meter pedestrian bridge is composed of a concrete deck and three truss girders, made of IPC sandwich panels reinforced by mat and by unidirectional glass fibers. Steel connections are used between the members of the truss. This allows a modular and rapidly assembled structure. A main disadvantage of truss systems is that the gaps (pin-hole system) in the connections may lead to unacceptable high deformations. In order to avoid this, a camber can be adopted in the design.