Experimental and theoretical study of bond behaviour between FRP bar and high-volume fly ash-self-compacting concrete

Abstract

The combination of fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) and high-volume fly ash self-compacting concrete (HVFA-SCC) reinforced is expected to solve the problem of steel corrosion in traditional structures and develop sustainable infrastructures. Bond behaviour has a strong effect on serviceability of FRP reinforced concrete structures. To achieve the acceptance of this novel composite structures in practical construction and design, it is significantly important to investigate the bond behaviour of FRP reinforced HVFA-SCC. In this study, a series of pull-out tests were carried out to investigate the bond behaviour of HVFA-SCC reinforced by FRP bar, which included bond strength, bond-slip response, and failure mode. The investigated experimental variables were reinforcing materials, surface treatment of FRP bars, bar diameters and concrete materials. The test results revealed that using HVFA-SCC resulted in higher average bond strength compared to those in the normal concrete test specimens. The reinforcing materials (steel vs. GFRP) had strong effect on bond behaviour, including bond strength, bond stiffness and failure mode. The failure mechanism of bond interaction between FRP and HVFA-SCC is dependent on friction and chemical adhesion. Subsequently, theoretical models for bond strength and development length were proposed. Finally, the parameters of analytical models of bond-slip curve are calibrated for GFRP reinforced HVFA-SCC by using the experimental data.