Abstract
Structural members comprising geopolymer recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars have not been investigated appropriately for axial compressive loading cases. The present study addresses this knowledge gap by evaluating the structural efficiency of GFRP-reinforced geopolymer recycled aggregate concrete (GGRAC)-based members subjected to axial compressive loading. A total of nine compressive members (250 mm in cross-section and 1150 mm in height) were constructed to examine the effect of the number of longitudinal GFRP bars and the vertical spacing of transverse GFRP hoops/ties. The experimental results portrayed that the ductility of GGRAC compressive members improved with the reduction in the pitch of GFRP hoops. The axial load-carrying capacity (LCC) of GGRAC compressive members increased by increasing the number of GFRP bars up to eight (corresponding to a reinforcement ratio of 2.11%) while it decreased by using ten longitudinal GFRP bars (corresponding to a reinforcement ratio of 2.65%). Additionally, an empirical model was suggested to predict the axial LCC of GGRAC compressive members based on a large amount of experimental data of similar members. The experimental results and related theoretical predictions substantially prove the applicability and accuracy of the proposed model. The proposed column represents a feasible structural member in terms of material availability and environmental sustainability.
Highlights
The quantity of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, as a result of the demolition of old infrastructures, is increasing around the world due to an increase in world population, extensive urbanization, and rapid development of developing countries
The following key points can be obtained from this investigation: 1. All the geopolymer recycled aggregate concrete (GGRAC) compressive members showed similar failure modes and processes
The compressive members failed due to a fracture arising in the longitudinal bars and rupture in the glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) ties
Summary
The quantity of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, as a result of the demolition of old infrastructures, is increasing around the world due to an increase in world population, extensive urbanization, and rapid development of developing countries. It is necessary to utilize this C&D waste in a proper way to develop a sustainable environment. Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) lessens carbon dioxide emission, land required for the C&D waste, and aggregate transportation distance by meeting the desire for environmentally friendly, low-carbon, and sustainable production [1,2,3,4,5,6]. To diminish the carbon footprint of concrete construction, a green concrete named ‘geopolymer concrete’ (GPC) consisting of recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) was utilized in the present study. The mechanical and durability performances of RAC and GPC have been explored by various researchers, the usage of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars in GPC-RAC still has not been investigated up to the requirement. The use of FRP bars in aggressive environments lessens repair costs, increases serviceability, and prolongs the serviceable life of structures [9,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24]
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