FRP strengthened aluminium tubular sections subjected to web crippling

Abstract

This paper presents a test programme on aluminium tubular structural members that have experienced web crippling failure due to localized concentrated loads or reactions. A series of tests was performed on fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening of aluminium tubular structural members subjected to End-Two-Flange and Interior-Two-Flange loading conditions. A total of 58 web crippling tests was conducted. The investigation was mainly focused on the effects of different adhesive and FRP for strengthening of aluminium tubular sections against web crippling. The influence of different widths of FRP plate strengthening against web crippling has been also investigated in this study. The test specimens consisted of 6061-T6 heat-treated aluminium alloy square and rectangular hollow sections. Six different adhesives and six different FRPs were considered in this study. The properties of adhesive and FRP have significant influence on the effectiveness of the strengthening. Most of the strengthened specimens were failed by debonding of FRP plates from the aluminium tubes. There are mainly four different failure modes observed in the tests, namely the adhesion, cohesion, combination of adhesion and cohesion, and interlaminar failure of FRP plate. The failure loads, failure modes, and the load-web deformation behaviour of the aluminium sections are presented in this study. It was found that the web crippling capacity of aluminium tubular sections is significantly increased due to FRP strengthening, especially for those sections with large value of web slenderness ratio.