Report No. CCEER-05-2Abstract: Easily installed and inspected fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) as an alternative to steel for restrainer construction to reduce bridge hinge movements during earthquakes was examined. Glass, carbon, and hybrid (glass/carbon) restrainers were constructed and dynamically tested in the large-scale structures laboratory. Work included:
1. Tensile tests on FRP strips and on FRP/concrete bond versus loading rate
2. FRP restrainer development, including dynamic testing
3. Shake table data analysis and comparisons of FRP, steel, and SMA restrainer performance
4. Development of a FRP restrainer design method. Findings confirm FRP restrainer potential for future implementation to structures
Results include:
1. FRP strength is strain-rate insensitive
2. FRP/concrete bond strength is a function of concrete shear strength and is strain rate sensitive
3. Flexible restrainer construction and restrainer/concrete bond methods are demonstrated
4. A simplified FRP restrainer design method, more realistic than AASHTO, and that considers bridge structure dynamic characteristics, is propose
