Mechanical and Durability Screening Test Methods for Cylindrical CFRP Prestressing Tendons

Abstract

AbstractConcrete prestressed with carbon fiber–reinforced polymer (CFRP) tendons beneficially utilizes the strain capacity and durability characteristics of the CFRP material. However, changes to CFRP tendon material formulations or production processes present a challenge when building up a body of knowledge to inform the long-term behavior of a prestressed concrete system. Initial qualification tests can help identify the potential for fiber–reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons to meet long-term mechanical and durability requirements. Protocols that can be undertaken on commercially produced cylindrical FRP pultrusions are particularly advantageous because the constituent materials and manufacturing processes are representative of the actual product. Selected mechanical and durability characterization approaches, and their suitability for adaptation for wet specimens with cylindrical geometries, were critically assessed. A series of qualification tests were then conducted on CFRP tendons with three differen...