The sustainable element of infrastructure is not just in the upfront design, construction methods and use of materials in the asset, but also its operation, maintenance, and disposal — this is the basis of a circular economy.  So, when designing and building infrastructure the whole lifecycle needs to be considered.

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    The number of buildings, bridges, pipelines and other components of the infrastructures that have deteriorated in service and in need of repair and maintenance is large and ever increasing. The volume of the infrastructure that needs upgrading, strengthening and/or repair is growing worldwide. The traditional techniques of rehabilitation are faced with challenges from new materials and methods that offer convenience in application and lesser degree of financial constraints to the owner.

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    Rehabilitation can be defined as an operation to bring a structure (or a structural component) that is deficient in design demand to the desired specific performance level.

   

    The new advances made with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites, because of their many advantages over steel and other conventional materials, have provided engineers with stimulus in circumventing the difficulties associated with the traditional techniques of rehabilitation process.  Ease of installing, handling, storage, transporting and the life cycle cost benefits of CFRP could lead to a great saving in the overall cost that may exceed the difference in the material cost.