Mechanical properties and durability of FRP-reinforced coral aggregate concrete structures: A critical review

Abstract

The utilizations of locally available marine resources (e.g., seawater, sea-sand or coral sand, and coral coarse aggregate) for concrete preparation on reef or island areas contribute to the reduced construction period and construction costs of offshore projects. However, the porous nature and high chloride content of coral aggregates will affect the mechanical properties and durability of seawater coral aggregate concrete (CAC) structures reinforced with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. This paper presents a literature review on the physical and mechanical characteristics of coral aggregates, the mechanical properties and chloride ion penetration performance of CAC, the bond performance and durability of FRP bars in CAC, and the mechanical behavior and durability of FRP-reinforced CAC structures. Structural responses of FRP-reinforced CAC systems, including FRP-confined CAC tube columns, FRP-reinforced CAC beams, FRP-reinforced CAC columns, and FRP-reinforced CAC slabs, are presented and discussed. These research results can provide a reference for the service life performance and durability design methods of FRP-reinforced CAC structures.