Vectorply composites strengthen Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge

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Destrehan, LA – Spanning the Mississippi River to connect Destrehan on the east bank to Luling on the west bank, the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge (also known as the Luling Bridge) is one of the Luling Bridge Picstate of Louisiana’s most crucial pieces of infrastructure.  With the bridge in need of surface repairs, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development turned to Engineering Consultant Malcolm Huval of Huval and Associates to find a solution that provided the most longevity.
The Luling Bridge is a 10,699-foot-long suspension bridge that presented Huval and Associates with the difficult task of developing a flexible composite structure that would adhere to the steel plate on the bridge as well as the concrete that would be poured for the roadway.  For this tall task, Huval developed a composite system utilizing Vectorply’s Kevlar/E-glass hybrid material and a highly adhesive and flexible epoxy resin.

“Bridges constantly move, especially suspension bridges, so a typical concrete and steel reinforced surface does not do well by itself and will eventually end up cracking,” explained Vectorply’s South/Central Region Sales Manager Doug Lachapelle. “The combination of specialized composite materials and resins make concrete surfaces on suspension bridges possible.”

The Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge is the latest infrastructure project to show the value composites provide in revitalization and repair. To find out more about using composites in your infrastructure or construction application, call Vectorply at 334-291-7704 or visit our website www.vectorply.com.

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U.S. Coast Guard marine inspectors train with Vectorply carbon

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Richmond, CA – Maritime Technical Services of Tiburon, CA recently completed their 15th training course designed to teach United States Coast Guard marine inspectors how to inspect composite small passenger vessels.  The course is held three times a year at the KKMI Boathouse in Point Richmond, CA and consists of 20 students.Coast guard pic2

The course covers several topics including: small passenger vessel rules and standards for FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic) vessels, introduction to FRP and composite materials, vessel manufacturing techniques, composite testing, identifying dynamic loads in small passenger vessels, and tools of the trade and inspection techniques.

Finally, as seen in the photos, common repair methods are taught to the students. The students shown are repairing a hole in a piece of plywood using Vectorply C-LA 1812, an 18oz. carbon uni.