A Systematic Review of the Geotechnical and Structural Behaviors of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composite Piles

Abstract

Composite piles have emerged as a popular alternative to conventional piling materials for deep foundations and have gained significant traction as a specific type of pile due to their potential to mitigate durability issues often associated with standard piling materials. A new type of composite piles can improve structural behavior and extend service life. This research uses an inclusive review methodology to evaluate the geotechnical and structural behaviors of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite piles. Scopus was utilized to address the relevant keywords and state-of-the-art documents, and VSOviewer software was adopted to spot recurring patterns in the data using scientometric maps. Low-stiffness composite materials are a concern, according to the research work. Thus, researchers are working on confined concrete-filled FRP piles to improve the structural and geotechnical properties used in various load-bearing conditions. However, more research is required to comprehensively understand the behaviors of the studied types of composite piles. Indeed, there is a need for large-scale lab and field studies to determine how axial and lateral loads influence composite piles. This could help create guidelines for constructing the reviewed types of composite piles.