DAYTON, Ohio – (October 7, 2014) – During the Roaring Twenties, Sandy Beach Bridge connected the two sides of the Sandy Beach Amusement Park supporting heavy pedestrian traffic. The Indian Lake, Ohio pedestrian bridge, once part of Ohio’s Million Dollar Playground, fell into disrepair along with the park in the 1960s. The property was purchased in 1981 for development, but the cost required to restore the bridge, update building codes and insurance proved prohibitive. Earlier this year, a committee for the Indian Lake Area Historical Society found a low-maintenance, non-skid solution with Composite Advantage’s FiberSPAN Fiber Reinforced Polymer bridge deck product.
“The original renovation design called for galvanized steel flooring with a non-skid surface,” says Andy Loff, vice-president for Composite Advantage. “We worked closely with the society to provide a bridge deck that met their requirements at a cost comparable to steel sheeting.”
The new FiberSPAN bridge deck featured deck panels 11 ft. 10 in. wide and lengths varying from 7 ft. to 14 ft. 6 in. Deck depth was constructed at 7.5 in. to meet a deflection requirement of L/400 for the longest floor beam span. Adhesively-bonded ship lap joints were used to accommodate the high camber of the bridge along with a sliding expansion panel at the bridge’s peak. Steel plate was embedded into the bridge deck to accommodate railing post attachments. Stainless steel cable railing was installed and an aluminum handrail hung from the bridge’s top chord beams. A small-grit, non-slip wear surface makes the bridge deck both safe and barefoot friendly.
The restoration project complements a new water recreation area and meets a live load requirement of 100 psf. The new bridge was re-opened to the public on August 23, 2014.
Composite Advantage is the leading manufacturer of very large Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite parts, up to 52 feet, for structurally demanding applications and corrosive environments. CA combines its unique knowledge, innovative design, field experience and efficient manufacturing processes to support its core products - zero maintenance bridges and bridge decks. CA’s other product lines include vehicle bridge decks to handle fully loaded 90,000-pound truck-trailers; temporary road mats for energy exploration; and waterfront infrastructure for US Navy bases.
Contact Composite Advantage at 937-723-9031 or info@compositeadvantage.com