Structural Performance of a New Column’s Prototype Made by FRP Pultruded Material and Light Concrete

Abstract

This investigation presents some evaluation based on the experimental and numerical results obtained on the compression bearing capacity of new columns prototype made by FRP (Fibre Reinforced Polymer) material and concrete. In detail that is the junction due to the assembly between hollow FRP profiles made by pultrusion process with glass fibres and thermosetting matrix vinylestere, and very light concrete casting inside. To better understand the eventually influence related to the hollow shape employed, the study consider both the case of circular and square profile. Due to the novel of the research, a not negligible part of the research is dedicated to test previous the separate material, that is the plane concrete and the hollow GFRP profile, and then the prototype (concrete+GFRP) also considering two different way of load application. Particularly we applied in the first case the load to only the core of the sample, on the plane concrete, and then to the total cross section. This choice allows to evaluate the role and the influence of the bond strength along the length of each sample.