Bond behavior of basalt fiber reinforced polymer bars in seawater sea-sand concrete exposed to daily temperature variations

Abstract

Application of basalt fibre reinforced polymer (BFRP) bar reinforced seawater sea-sand concrete structures in marine and coastal buildings could bring both environmental and economic benefits. As BFRP bar reinforced seawater sea-sand concrete members are likely to be exposed to temperature variations during their service life, the bond durability between BFRP bar and seawater sea-sand concrete should be well understood. This paper investigated the effects of thermal cycling, such as target temperature (i.e. amplitude of variation) and cycling times, bar diameter and concrete strength on the bonding behavior of BFRP bars in seawater sea-sand concrete by pullout test. It is found that target temperature and cycling times lead to a significant reduction of BFRP bar-to-seawater sea-sand concrete bonding, which is mainly attributed by the degradation of BFRP under thermal cycles. Through the method of scanning electron microscopy, microstructure of BFRP is examined and the bond mechanism considering the effect of temperature variations is clarified. Finally, theoretical model is proposed to predict the bond stress-slip relationship of BFRP bars in seawater sea-sand concrete. Accuracy of the predictions is validated by the experimental results.