A parametric study of the flexural strength of concrete girders externally prestressed with epoxy bonded fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) plates is presented. The girders are externally prestressed with FRP plates epoxy bonded to the tension face of the girders, while the girders are held cambered by means of upward jacking forces. The variables considered in the study are the type of FRP plate, the area of the plate, and concrete compressive strength. A design example is also presented to show the effectiveness of this strengthening technique for upgrading the load carrying capacity of a typical concrete bridge originally designed for H15 loading to that of HS20 loading.
