Verification of Possibility of Using Prestressed CFRP Strips to Strengthen Concrete Box Girder Bridge—Case Study

Strengthening existing structures and bridges allows us to continue using them, increase their reliability, resistance, durability and extend their service life instead of demolishing them and replacing them with new ones. This helps to reduce CO2 (decarbonization). The use of prestressed CFRP strips represents the use of new modern materials and new technology for strengthening existing bridges. The paper is focused on the use of prestressed CFRP strips for strengthening a concrete bridge made of precast prestressed box girders as the most suitable strengthening alternative in a given case. This is a technology that is more commonly used for strengthening structures, but it is not common to use this technology for strengthening bridges. There are relatively few examples of using this technology for strengthening bridges, also because these are dynamically loaded structures. The paper firstly presents the diagnostics and calculation of the load-carrying capacity of the railway bridge on a narrow-gauge railway line in Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia, and then the strengthening of the given bridge. The bridge is located in the mountains of the High Tatras in the northern part of Slovakia and bypasses two local roads. The bridge was made from the precast prestressed post-tensioned box girders of six single spans. The visual inspection, diagnostics, and verification of real dimensions and material characteristics were requested. The non-destructive and semi-destructive methods of testing were used to determine the geometrical and materials’ properties. After that, the calculation of the load-carrying capacity was done. For this purpose, a numerical 3D FEM model was created. For determining the load-carrying capacity, the standard approach, given in Eurocodes, was used according to provisions, which take into account the modified (lower) reliability levels and their adequate partial safety factors. From the calculation, it follows that the bridge should be strengthened. The strengthening of the superstructure was done using prestressed CFRP strips in the lower part of the box girders. This is one of the first applications of this modern method of strengthening, not only in Slovakia but in Central Europe as well.