Bond between glass fibre reinforced polymer bars and high - strength concrete

YesIn this study, bond properties of glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars embedded in high-strength concrete (HSC) were experimentally investigated using a pull-out test. The experimental program consisted of testing 84 pull-out specimens prepared according to ACI 440.3R-12 standard. The testing of the specimens was carried out considering bar diameter (9.5, 12.7 and 15.9 mm), embedment length (2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 times bar diameter) and surface configuration (helical wrapping with slight sand coating (HW-SC) and sand coating (SC)) as the main parameters. Twelve pull-out specimens reinforced with 16 mm steel bar were also tested for comparison purposes. Most of the specimens failed by a pull-out mode. Visual inspection of the tested specimens reinforced with GFRP (HW-SC) bars showed that the pull-out failure was due to the damage of outer bar surface, whilst the detachment of the sand coating was responsible for the bond failure of GFRP (SC) reinforced specimens. The bond stress – slip behaviour of GFRP (HW-SC) bars is different from that of GFRP (SC) bars and it was also found that GFRP (SC) bars gave a better bond performance than GFRP (HW-SC) bars. It was observed that the reduction rate of bond strength of both GFRP types with increasing the bar diameter and the embedment length was reduced in the case of high-strength concrete. Bond strength predictions obtained from ACI-440.1R, CSAeS806, CSA-S6 and JSCE design codes were compared with the experimental results. Overall, all design guidelines were conservative in predicting bond strength of both GFRP bars in HSC and ACI predictions were closer to the tested results than other codes

Flexural behaviour of concrete beams reinforced with GFRP bars

The paper presents some of the results from a large experimental program undertaken at the Department of Civil Engineering of Salerno University. The static behaviour under service conditions of concrete beams reinforced with GFRP (Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polymer) as well as CFRP (Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polymer) bars and stirrups is examined. Within the whole experimental program concerning forty beams, two different concrete strengths and two different percentages of reinforcement are taken into consideration. The final aim is to investigate both deflections at midspan and crack widths. Moreover, the ultimate behaviour up to failure is also investigated. A part of this experimental program, concerning ten prototypes reinforced with GFRP bars, is here presented and discussed. Finally, comparisons with analytical predictions given by CNRDT 203/2006 are also shown