Abstract
Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) rebars are being increasingly used to reinforce concrete structures that require long-term resistance to a corrosive environment. This study presents structural performance of large scale two-way concrete slabs reinforced with FRP rebars, and their performances were compared against conventional steel reinforced concrete. Both carbon FRP (CFRP) and basalt FRP (BFRP) were considered as steel replacement. Experimental results showed that the CFRP- and BFRP-RC slabs had approximately 7% and 4% higher cracking moment capacities than the steel-RC slab, respectively. The BFRP-RC slabs experienced a gradual decrease in the load capacity beyond the peak load, whereas the CFRP-RC slabs underwent a sharp decrease in load capacity, similar to the steel-RC slab. The BFRP-RC slabs demonstrated 1.72 times higher ductility than CFRP-RC slabs. The steel-RC slab was found to be safe against punching shear but failed due to flexural bending moment. The FRP-RC slabs were adequately safe against bending moment but failed due to punching shear. At failure load, the steel rebars were found to be yielded; however, the FRP rebars were not ruptured. FRP-RC slabs experienced a higher number of cracks and higher deflection compared to the steel-RC slab. However, FRP-RC slabs exhibited elastic recovery while unloading. Elastic recovery was not observed in the steel-RC slab. Additionally, the analytical load carrying capacity was validated against experimental values to investigate the efficacy of the current available standards (ACI 318-14 and ACI 440.1R-15) to predict the capacity of a two-way slab reinforced with CFRP or BFRP. The experimental load capacity of the CFRP-RC slabs was found to be approximately 1.20 times higher than the theoretical ultimate load capacity. However, the experimental load capacity of the BFRP-RC slabs was 6% lower than their theoretical ultimate load capacity.
Highlights
The Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP)-RC slabs were adequately safe against bending moment but failed due to punching shear
The analytical load carrying capacity was validated against experimental values to investigate the efficacy of the current available standards (ACI 318-14 and ACI 440.1R-15) to predict the capacity of a two-way slab reinforced with carbon FRP (CFRP) or basalt FRP (BFRP)
The BFRP-RC slabs had around 34% lower ultimate moment capacity than the CFRP-RC slabs, as BFRP bars used in the study had approximately 60% lower modulus of elasticity than that of the CFRP bars
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutralConcrete slabs require reinforcement whether they are used as suspended structural members (e.g., floors of a building, bridge deck, or culvert structure) or ground bearing slabs. A number of outdoor concrete infrastructures, such as marine structures, protective structures in coastal area, airfield rigid pavements, parking areas, bridge decks, railway sleepers, and sewer infrastructures are often subjected to various aggressive environmental exposures, such as de-icing salts, high humidity, elevated temperatures, chloride ions, hydrogen sulphide gas, and other chemicals [1–5]. Exposure to those harsh conditions significantly reduces the alkalinity of the protective layer of concrete to reinforcing steel that results in substantial damage to the steel rebars. As conventional steel rebars are highly with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
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