Abstract
Installation of FRP hydraulic gates started in the 1960s, and almost seven hundred gates are now under operation in Japan. FRP gates have better durability when compared with steel gates and sometimes life cycle cost advantages, while their applications are limited to small or middle-sized structures. Mobility in construction and operability due to the lightweightness are also strong points. However, current technical standards for hydraulic gates do not provide specific design details concerning FRP gates.
Our subcommittee formulated guidelines for FRP gates, which cover design, construction, inspection and maintenance. The guidelines are described based on the allowable stress design method employed in the current practice, and the guidelines based on the performance-based design method employed in the standard specifications for hybrid structures by JSCE are provided as well.
