Strength Performance of Concrete Beams Reinforced with BFRP Bars

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental and numerical investigation of the strength performance of concrete beams reinforced with Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bars. The numerical model prepared in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software was validated against the experimental data and found to be in good convergence. The experimental program consisted of the flexural tests of beams reinforced with Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) bars and beams reinforced with steel bars for comparison. In both, numerical and experimental investigations, the deflections of beams reinforced with BFRP bars were significantly greater than deflections of beams reinforced by steel bars. Additionally, the destruction mechanism of beams was the crushing of concrete region in compression zone (apart from one case during the experimental program). The maximum deviation for the strength capacity of beams reinforced with BFRP bars does not exceed 9%. The implementation of the obtained FEA model in further analysis will allow better predicting of the strength performance of beams reinforced with FRP bars before being tested experimentally.