Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture 9 (2015) 791-797 doi: 10.17265/1934-7359/2015.07.005 Applications of Glass and Glass Fiber Retrofit Polymer in Modern Footbridges Beata Stankiewicz and Marcin Tatara Faculty of Civil Engineering, Opole University of Technology Poland, Damroki 80-177, Poland Abstract: The architecture of footbridge design takes the form of a number of submissions from leading architects and engineers, each setting out their views on bridge design—present and future. It looks at the functions of a bridge, defining purpose of place and context, the spirit of creativity and the reasoned progression of an idea. It also explores the exploitation of materials technology and construction innovation and the tension between lightness and mass and between sculpture and scale. Present parameters of tempered and laminated glass create possibility of modern architecture of footbridges which are being full of transparency and light reflex effects. Four projects, using glass panels designed by Santiago Calatrava, have been presented in this paper. GFRP (glass fiber retrofit polymer) makes new horizon in material technology, helps to enrich new conception of structure with longer durability, low weight of deck and new creation of architecture line. The paper has described a few results of FEM (finite element method) analysis of footbridge with modular bridge GFRP deck system. The footbridge was excited by impact and human-induced vibrations. Composite material consists of glass fibers and polymer matrix is a promising alternative against traditional materials. New architecture and modern material engineering are looking for fresh possibilities of form and shape of structure, long durability and extraordinary technical parameters of building elements. Key words: Transparent bridge deck, parameters of glass, GFRP deck, pultruded material, FEM of bridge deck, fiberline technology. 1. Introduction Present footbridge structures in the world are like explosion of modern engineering calculation and material parameters. They are full of amazing architectures and extraordinary forms and shapes. Engineers predict that a new type of footbridge, a hybrid design in incorporating suspension and cable-stayed features will revolutionize bridge design, as will high-strength. Light composites are used and create new dimension of bridge designed. The potential of using tempered glass and GFRP (glass fibre retrofit polymer) in footbridge structures is very huge. Development of glass material creates new horizon for interesting esthetical form of footbridges with delicate transparent effect. Many footbridges with transparent glass deck and glass balustrades have been designed by famous architects and engineers in the world [1, 11]. Glass panels create special light Corresponding author: Beata Stankiewicz, Ph.D., research field: bridge structures. E-mail: b.stankiewicz@po.opole.pl. dimension of structure with illuminations. The main and important parameters of tempered and laminated glass have special possibilities in designing process of extraordinary footbridges. GFRP composites, thanks to their beneficial properties and various advantages over traditional materials, have great potential as a material used in bridge engineering. During the last 30 years, they have been proved useful in a few areas: they are commonly used to strengthen existing bridge structures and can replace traditional materials for structural elements in hybrid bridge structures. 2. Glass Panels in Modern Footbridges 2.1 The Safety Standard of Thermally Tempered and Laminated Glass The parameter of tensile strength for ordinary glass is 40 MPa (N/mm 2 ), but the same parameter for tempered glass is 120~200 MPa (N/mm 2 ). The safety of thermally tempered glass depends on the thickness of it, the processing of edges and whether there are D DAVID PUBLISHING