A Polymer Concrete-GFRP Composite as a Sustainable Culvert Retrofit System | NEx Workshop

Title: Shreya Vemuganti- A Polymer Concrete-GFRP Composite as a Sustainable Culvert Retrofit System | NEx Workshop 🎤 Speaker: Dr. Shreya Vemuganti, Assistant Professor, School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, Gallogly College of Engineering, University of Oklahoma 📍 Presented at the NEx Workshop during the ACI Concrete Convention 📌 Rosemont, IL – April 1, 2026 This session is part of the NEx Workshop, hosted by NEx: An ACI Center of Excellence for Nonmetallic Building Materials, focused on “The Effect of Nonmetallic Building Materials on the Sustainability of Concrete Structures.” The ideas expressed in this seminar are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of NEx, ACI, or its committees. Aging Corrugated Metal Pipe (CMP) culverts represent a significant sustainability challenge due to corrosion-driven deterioration leading to frequent repairs and increased life-cycle impacts. This study evaluates a Polymer Concrete–Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composite as a sustainable culvert retrofit system. A controlled corrosion protocol induced up to 29% mass loss in corrugated metal pipes prior to retrofit. A full-scale bending test confirmed complete composite action and effective load transfer between the polymer concrete, GRFP liner, and CMP. The results also confirmed the ability of the retrofitted system to resist CMP design loads. A Finite Element model simulated the system behavior and highlighted seam joint zones to govern the flexural capacity. A Life Cycle Analysis determined that the polymer concrete-GFRP slip liner system has 24% lower cost and a lower carbon footprint compared with conventional retrofit systems. The results indicate that the nonmetallic composite retrofit system offers a sustainable approach to extending the service life of aging infrastructure. To earn continuing education credits, visit ACI University. Learn More: nonmetallic.org 👍 Like | 💬 Comment | 🔔 Subscribe for more expert insights on nonmetallic innovation and sustainable infrastructure.