Durability of partially cured GFRP reinforcing bars in alkaline environments with or without sustained tensile load

Abstract

Corrosion of steel reinforcing bars (rebars) in reinforced concrete structures can be addressed by using corrosion-resistant materials like Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRP). However, in France, FRP rebars are primarily restricted to temporary applications due to lack of comprehensive durability data. While numerous studies have explored FRP durability in alkaline environments, understanding the combined effect of alkali ions and sustained loading remains limited. Furthermore, the impact of incomplete matrix curing on the long-term performance of FRP rebars is limited.Accordingly, this paper investigates the durability of Glass FRP (GFRP) rebars exposed to alkali environments at varying temperatures. A batch of partially cured rebars was selected for this study, with part of them undergoing post-curing to investigate the effect of curing state on the ageing behaviour. Additionally, some partially cured specimens were subjected to combined sustained tensile loading at 20 % and 40 % of ultimate strength. Mechanical, physico-chemical and microstructural characterizations were conducted after various exposure durations. Results revealed that incomplete curing minimally impacted long-term tensile properties but significantly affected the interlaminar shear strength of aged rebars. Moreover, applying a combined load had little influence on residual properties at 20°C but led to rapid reduction in GFRP residual tensile strength at higher ageing temperatures (40 and 60°C).