Surface Interaction Studies on Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Bars

Abstract

The use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bars has been gaining increasing popularity in the civil engineering community due to their favorable properties such as high-strength-to-weight ratio and good corrosion resistance. In order for concrete to be FRP reinforced, there must be interfacial bond between FRP bars and concrete. The interfacial bond behavior of FRP bars to concrete is expected to vary from that of conventional steel bars, since various key parameters that influence bond performance are different. This paper presents the results of an experimental and analytical study on the interfacial surface interaction of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars in high strength concrete cube. The experimental program consisted of testing 54 concrete cubes prepared according to CSA S802-02 standard 1). The split specimens showed that interfacial bond failure of the steel bar occurred due to concrete crushing in front of the bar deformations, while interfacial bond failure of the GFRP bars occurred partly on the surface of the bar and partly in the concrete by peeling of the surface layer of the bar.