Application of Heat/Resin Injection in the Presence of Vacuum for FRP Attachments on the Concrete Substrate

Abstract

Advanced processing techniques for the application of Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) materials to repair concrete structures include the adoption of a vacuum consolidation process coupled with heat and/or resin injection to improve the curing process, bond strength and speed of application. The vacuum can contribute to the penetration of the resin into the surface around the exposed aggregates in order to achieve higher bond in strengthened elements. Since, debonding of FRP materials from the substrate is a brittle failure, it is essential to study this phenomenon and propose significant ways to improve the behaviour of the bondline. In this article, the interfacial bond behaviour of FRP laminates attached to concrete in the presence of vacuum and heat/resin injection is studied. The results of single lap shear tests have been utilized to investigate the capability of this system in strengthening of concrete elements. In this regard, several FRP-bonded concrete prisms will be examined in a single lap shear test set-up. Further, the effects of bondline thickness on the bond performance of adhesively bonded joints are studied.