Fiber Reinforced Polymer Strips Research Articles

Nonuniformity in stress transfer across FRP width of FRP-concrete interface

The nonuniformity of stress and strain analysis is an important consideration that describes the bond behavior between concrete and externally bonded fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates. The interfacial stress transfer between FRP and concrete generates a longitudinal strain gradient in the longitudinal (or FRP fiber) direction. Most of the available studies in this area have focused on nonuniformity in the longitudinal direction. In this paper, the nonuniformity in the FRP width direction is investigated by studying the strain distribution using digital image correlation (DIC) full-field optical techniques. In the direction along the FRP width, there is an area in the middle that has consistent strain and stress, while the edge regions have strain and stress gradients. During the complete debonding process, the width of the central area is found to be insignificantly affected by the concrete strength but significantly affected by the FRP stiffness. The fracture characteristics below the central region are purely Mode II fracture. However, the complex curved cracks and high in-plane shear strains at the interface near the FRP edge regions show a mixed mode with Modes II and III. This boundary effect results in a significant difference in the bond–slip characteristics of FRP along the width direction. The maximum bond stress of the central region is higher than that of the edge region. However, for FRP with higher stiffness, the inhomogeneity of the stress distribution is weakened. Moreover, it is reasonable to find that calculating the sum of the bearing capacity of the single FRP strips along the width direction is close to the experimental bond strength. Based on the research findings in this study, it is qualitatively recommended that the width factor model in calculating FRP-concrete bond strength should include the significant effect of FRP stiffness.

Evaluation of various FRP strengthening configurations for RC beam-column joints

There are several methods for strengthening reinforced concrete joints. Due to the unique properties of FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) composites, the use of FRP laminates is one of the most commonly used techniques. The high cost of preparing concrete surfaces and attaching FRP laminates is a restricting factor for its application in reinforced concrete joint retrofit. Therefore, determining proper configurations that reduce the needed FRP material, as well as the surface preparation required for attaching FRP is an important factor in decreasing the strengthening cost. The proper arrangements of FRP strips can improve their performance in the rehabilitation and retrofit of reinforced concrete joints. To determine the proper configuration of FRP strips, finite element modeling was employed. The connection specimens are modeled in ABAQUS general-purpose finite element software and are classified into 10 general groups. To improve the performance of FRP strip configuration, the determined arrangement is investigated for different thicknesses and different widths of the FRP strips, and their results are compared with those of the connection specimen strengthened with full FRP coverage. The analysis results indicated that the load-bearing capacity of the connection retrofitted by the combined configuration of X-shape and orthogonal strips of FRP is close to that of the specimen with full FRP coverage. In this suitable configuration, the required FRP strips are reduced by about 30% , which decreases the cost and construction works needed for concrete joint rehabilitation.

Failure evolution and instability prediction of fiber-reinforced polymer-confined cement mortar specimens under axial compression.

In geotechnical engineering, a large number of pillars are often left in underground space to support the overlying strata and protect the surface environment. To enhance pillar stability and prevent instability, this study proposes an innovative technology for pillar reinforcement. Specifically, local confinement of the pillar is achieved through fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) strips, resulting in the formation of a more stable composite structure. In order to validate the effectiveness of this structural approach, acoustic emission characteristics and surface strain field characteristics were monitored during failure processes, while mathematical models were employed to predict specimen instability. The test results revealed that increasing FRP strip confinement width led to heightened activity in acoustic emission events during failure processes, accompanied by a decrease in shear cracks but an increase in tensile cracks. Moreover, ductility was improved and deformation resistance capacity was enhanced within specimens. Notably, initial crack generation occurred within unconfined regions of specimens during failures; however, both length and width as well as overall numbers of cracks significantly decreased due to implementation of FRP strips. Consequently, specimen failure speed was slowed down accordingly. Finally, the instability of the partial FRP-confined cement mortar could be more accurately predicted based on the model of FRP-confined concrete. It was verified by the test results.

Flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with gradually prestressed near surface mounted carbon fiber-reinforced polymer strips under static and fatigue loading

The near surface mounted (NSM) carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) strengthening technique, combined with gradually anchored prestressed technique, is utilized to delay the occurrence of concrete cover separation (CCS) and enhance the ductility of reinforced concrete beams. The load-carrying capacity of fully prestressed beams and gradually prestressed beams are investigated under both static and fatigue loading conditions. The study focused on the effect of gradient prestress on flexural behavior of strengthened beams, analyzed the failure mode, characteristic load, ductility, and stress distribution at CFRP-concrete interface under both prestress and load conditions. Results indicate that gradually prestressed beams outperform fully prestressed ones in restraining crack development, delaying yield of tensile reinforcement, improving bearing capacity and avoiding CCS failure. Bearing capacity was significantly increased by up to 35.48%, while ductility was greatly improved by 100.33% with ultimate deflection for gradually prestressed beams compared to fully prestressed ones. The fatigue life of gradually prestressed beams, which experienced a transition from CCS failure mode to fatigue fracture of tensile reinforcement, was significantly extended. Additionally, their ductility at failure was also greatly enhanced, thus confirming the effectiveness of gradually prestressed NSM CFRP strengthening technique.

Experimental study on the seismic performance of GFRP reinforced concrete columns actively confined by AFRP strips

This paper proposes a new type of concrete columns, which are reinforced with GFRP bars and actively confined by Aramid Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (AFRP) strips. FRP reinforcement is a non-corrosive material and has the advantages of having lighter weight, higher tensile strength, and long-term durability as compared to steel reinforcement. Active confinement has advantages over non-confined concrete columns and it is expected that the active confinement in the critical area increases the adhesion between the concrete and the rebars, strengthens the concrete cover portion of the rebars, and increases the shear capacity of the column. The literature does not show a comprehensive examination of the actively confined concrete columns that are reinforced by polymer and steel bars. Six reinforced concrete columns were cast, loaded, and tested under simultaneous application of axial and cyclic loads. Four columns were actively confined by AFRP strips at 10% and 30% of the AFRP ultimate strain in the critical area. Two columns were reinforced with steel bars, and the other two were reinforced with GFRP bars. Also, two columns with steel bars and GFRP bars, but without confinement, were utilized as the control specimens. Experimental results showed that the strain in the cover portion of the actively confined columns was reduced due to the effect of active confinement, and the strength of the concrete core increased. The active confinement increased the adhesion between the concrete and the bars and also reduced crack width, which ultimately resulted in increasing concrete strength, ductility, and energy absorption.

Experimental and numerical investigation of the flexural behavior of one–way RC slabs strengthened with near–surface mounted and externally bonded systems

This study investigated the flexural performance of one-way reinforced concrete (RC) slabs strengthened with two distinct strengthening systems: near–surface mounted (NSM) bars and externally bonded (EB) carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) strips. The NSM bars comprised four types: carbon FRP (CFRP), basalt FRP (BFRP), glass FRP (GFRP), and stainless–steel (SS) bars. The NSM–strengthened slabs showcased substantial enhancements in yield and ultimate load capacity, ranging from 20 % to 55 % and 59–123 %, respectively. In comparison, those strengthened with EB–CFRP strips displayed increases from 46 % to 107 % and 45–177 %, respectively, depending on the axial stiffness ratio of the strengthening system provided. Furthermore, the slabs reinforced with NSM–BFRP bars showed an 11–25 % improvement in their ductility indices. In contrast, the slabs reinforced with EB experienced a decrease in ductility ranging from 38 % to 50 %. This reduction was attributed to the differences in the modes of failure observed in both strengthening systems. The rupture of the NSM–FRP bars and the strain readings associated at the end of testing confirmed that the tensile strength of the NSM–FRP bars was fully exploited whereas the EB–CFRP strips utilized only 29–36 % of their ultimate tensile strain due to debonding. A finite element (FE) model was formulated to anticipate the behavior of the strengthened slabs. A strong correlation between the numerical predictions and the experimental outcomes was observed. The experimental–to–numerical ratios of the ultimate load ranged between 1.0 and 1.08 for the NSM–strengthened slabs and between 0.98 and 1.38 for the EB–strengthened slabs. This validated the FE models’ ability to capture the nonlinear performance of the strengthened slabs.

FRP bending-active gridshells: Numerical simulation and model test

Bending-active gridshells are a distinct category of grid structures achieved through elastic bending of initially straight profiles arranged in perpendicular layers and interconnected by hinge joints. These joints permit free in-plane rotation, thereby enabling the progressive transformation from the initial planar configuration to the desired curved shape. Rigorous modelling of hinge joint behavior is crucial for an accurate simulation of bending-active gridshells. Nevertheless, prior numerical studies have relied on oversimplified approximations in this regard. To overcome these limitations, this study developed an explicit dynamic numerical procedure, where the hinge joints are modelled as rigid links characterized by paired nodes that represent the actual hinge length. The proposed procedure incorporates all six nodal degrees of freedom (DoFs). This not only facilitates modelling the spatial behavior of the constituent profiles but, more importantly, allows for independent treatment of the in-plane rotational DoFs of a hinge joint’s paired nodes. Simultaneously, it addresses the joint’s coupling behavior in relation to the translational and out-of-plane rotational DoFs. The proposed procedure was verified through benchmark numerical tests. Furthermore, validation was conducted through forming and loading tests on a 4.60-m-span bending-active gridshell model constructed from carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips.

Axial compressive performance of masonry columns strengthened with ECC jacket and FRP strips

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) and Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) have been widely used to strengthen masonry columns due to their superior mechanical performance. Compression tests of masonry columns strengthened with ECC-jacket, FRP-strips, and ECC-jacket-FRP-strips were conducted in this study. The influence of the ultimate tensile strain of ECC and the number of FRP strip layers was investigated. The failure modes, load-displacement curves, strength, deformation, lateral strain, and energy absorption were analyzed and discussed. The results indicate that, compared with unconfined columns, the load-bearing capacity of columns strengthened by ECC jacket and two layers of FRP strips was significantly improved; 119% and 90.2% increases were achieved, respectively. There was a 242.4% and 119.4% increase in the corresponding ultimate deformation, respectively. In addition, the columns combine strengthened with ECC jacket and two layers of FRP strips exhibited excellent compression behavior, and their compressive strength was 274.5% higher than that of unconfined columns. The compressive strengths predicted by the available analytical models were adopted to evaluate the predictive ability of different models. The prediction model of the code CNR-DT 200/2013 exhibited better agreement with the experimental results in this study.

Experimental Assessment of NSM FRP Systems with Inorganic Adhesives for Concrete Strengthening

Abstract: This study explores the application of various inorganic resins in the Near-Surface Mounted (NSM) strengthening technique, aiming to provide alternatives to traditional organic resins. The research centers on sixty single lap-shear concrete blocks, employing four distinct adhesives—ordinary mortar, Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC), geopolymer, and polyester-silica—for bonding Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strips to the concrete blocks. Conducted under monotonic loading, the investigation assesses the bond characteristics between the inorganic resins and both CFRP composites and the concrete substrate. Interfacial behaviour, bond strength, and failure modes are meticulously analyzed, shedding light on the performance of each adhesive. The study reveals insights into the efficiency of the NSM system, emphasizing the significance of the bond between FRP composites and concrete for optimal strengthening. The findings underscore the limited research on NSM systems using inorganic resins, providing a foundation for further exploration in this domain.

Evaluating the impact of different anchor configurations and patch arrangements on the performance of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) anchors

The use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) anchors to enhance the efficiency of externally bonded (EB) FRP systems has received considerable attention in recent years. However, their widespread application has been constrained by the challenges associated with their installation due to complexity in anchor detailing. To date, there has been limited research aimed at simplifying anchor detailing while maintaining its efficiency. This paper presents an extensive experimental study involving 88 tests on concrete beams with anchored FRP material, with variations in the number of FRP strips, anchor material ratio (AMR), fan length, and rounding radius of the anchor hole. The study focuses primarily on different aspects of the anchor configuration. The first part of the study compares the performance of two anchor details, while the second part assesses the impact of different FRP patch arrangements on enhancing the performance of the anchors. The efficiency of the newly suggested end anchor detail was found to be equivalent to the previously used end anchor detail. The use of FRP patches over anchors proved very effective in certain cases but ineffective in others.

PERFORMANCE OF CONCRETE SLAB REINFORCED BY CFRP BARS AND STRENGTHENED BY DIFFERENT LAYOUT OF CFRP LAMINATES

In recent years, Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) rebar has been adopted to reinforce structural concrete elements such as slabs. FRP strips are also increasingly used to reinforce or strengthen concrete members that require higher carrying capacity or to restore damaged structural elements. Therefore, the reinforcement of concrete structures with this material is increasing but the effect of variables on CFRP-reinforced concrete slabs and externally bonded with CFRP laminates has not been evaluated in detail. This study presents a numerical analysis of the structural performance of concrete slabs reinforced by CFRP bars and strengthened by CFRP laminates using a finite element approach with ANSYS software. Six models with the same geometry (1550x1550x100 mm) were analyzed. Four models were reinforced with CFRP bars and externally strengthened with CFRP laminates, one model was reinforced with CFRP bars without external strength, and one reference model with traditional reinforcing bars (control specimen). Different parameters were adopted, such as amounts of FRP bars and CFRP laminates layout in which some models contained both CFRP bars and CFRP laminates. A uniformly distributed load that was calculated by plastic analysis was applied at the top surface area of each model. The plastic load considers the contribution of the laminated CFRP strips that increased the strength of the slab. Analysis results in the maximum strength carrying capacity in equivalent CFRP bars exhibit higher strength percentages of 5.07% of load capacity but differed in mode of failure than conventional reinforcements control slab.

Evaluation of shear behavior of short-span reinforced concrete deep beams strengthened with fiber reinforced polymer strips

The application of externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymers (EB-FRP) is known to improve the shear behavior of reinforced concrete beams. Nevertheless, the studies available in the literature are not sufficient to explain the shear behavior of the beams that have low shear span to effective depth ratios (av/d) and are strengthened with FRP and the interaction between the horizontal steel shear reinforcement and FRP strips. To fill these gaps in the literature, an experimental study involving twenty-two tests of deep beams with a low av/d and with different amounts of vertical and horizontal steel shear reinforcement was carried out. Both unstrengthened and strengthened with fully wrapped FRP strips beams were tested where the number of FRP layers, the spacing between them and the type of FRP material were varied. The experimental results showed that the FRP strips improved the shear and ductility capacities of beams with low av/d. In addition, as the vertical shear steel reinforcement ratio in the beams strengthened with FRP strips increased, the percentage increases in the shear and deflection capacities decreased. Also, as the horizontal shear steel reinforcement ratio in the strengthened beams increased, the percentage increase in the shear capacity increased. Finally, a new equation was proposed to estimate the FRP contribution to the shear capacity. To prove the reliability of the proposed equation, a comparative study was conducted using twenty existing equations.

STUDY THE EFFECT OF EXTERNAL CRACK ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Increasing the strength of the matrix material rather than increasing stiffness is frequently the primary objective when designing composite materials. This is typically the case when the matrix is made of brittle, low-strength material. the resilience of this matrix substance Usually, it is determined by the initial flaws in the raw material. Depending on the microstructure of the composite material, these flaws or fissures may be large or minor. The orientations of the foil fibers, which can be customized to improve the performance of the laminate, have a significant impact on the properties of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates. This study's goal is to look at how matrix cracking affects the mechanical characteristics of FRP chips. The presence and absence of exterior cracks are examined in unidirectional glass fiber reinforced polymer strips. Samples were manually cast using plastic molds constructed in accordance with ASTM standards. It were able to comprehend the impact of external cracking on composite materials through the mechanical tests that were conducted since it causes the material to weaken. Consequently, it is seen as a location where tensions are concentrated.

A novel double bridging-slipping (DBS) concept to overcome deformation incompatibility of textile reinforced-engineering cementitious composite (TR-ECC)

Due to the deformation incompatibility between the engineering cementitious composite (ECC) matrix and embedded fiber reinforced polymer (FRP), conventional textile reinforced (TR)-ECC usually fails in premature FRP rupture when subjected to a tensile load. To address this issue, a novel double bridging-slipping (DBS)-based concept is proposed in this study. Apart from bridging-slipping capacity of incorporated short fibers in the ECC matrix, the presence of FRP strip can contribute to the other bridging-slipping mechanism for enhancing the tensile performance of the whole specimen. The embedment zone of FRP strips can bridge the crack tips of ECC matrix through the FRP-ECC interfacial bond stress, and the slippage of FRP strips in the uncracked zone can compensate for the excessive deformation of ECC matrix in the multi-cracking zone. Experimental results show that compared to the conventional TR-ECC, the proposed DBS-based TR-ECC with the same FRP volumetric ratio of 0.113 % can significantly improve the ultimate tensile strain and toughness by 148.3 % and 38.0 %, respectively. As DBS-based TR-ECC facilitates the combination of superior strength of FRP textiles and excellent toughness of ECC materials, it has a promising application in infrastructure projects.

Full-Range fatigue behavior of NSM CFRP-to-Concrete bonded joints

The interfacial bond characteristics and failure mechanism of near-surface mounted (NSM) fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in concrete under fatigue loading are less understood compared to their bond behavior under static loading. In this paper, degradation of the local bond strength of FRP-to-concrete bonded joints subjected to direct pull-out fatigue loading is presented for both carbon FRP (CFRP) rods and strips under different fatigue load ranges, i.e., 10–50%, 10–60%, and 10–70%, of the corresponding static load-carrying capacity. The interfacial debonding between FRP and adhesive was observed during fatigue cycles for CFRP rod specimens to different extents. Specimens using CFRP rods with sand-coated and spirally wound surface treatment presented a higher local bond strength and a slower degradation rate, as compared to the ones using CFRP rods with roughened or sand-coated treatment. Using epoxy adhesives with higher strengths benefitted the fatigue bond performance of the tested specimens in terms of local bond strength and stable behavior. Higher fatigue load ranges substantially accelerated the local bond degradation resulting in a much shorter fatigue life of the bonded joints.

A state-of-the-art review on reinforced concrete slabs strengthened by frp sheets under monotonic, impact and repeated loading

Composites made of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) have gained popularity as new high-performance material for concrete buildings in now days. The advantages of FRP composites include high strength, lightweight, and corrosion resistance. This paper’s primary objective is to assess the affect of FRP strips on the strengthening and repair of plain and reinforced concrete slabs. under the monotonic, impact, and repeated loading. According to studies’ observations, applying FRP strips to RC slabs significantly affects the final load and deflection. The number and positioning of FRP sheets improve the performance of slabs. The failure load magnitude of strengthened slabs would increase as slab thickness, concrete compressive strength, and sheet thickness increase. The ultimate load capacity was increased by (27-52%), depending on the FRP strengthening strategy used. GFRP sheets could be employed for improving or enhancing the impact strength of concrete structures. Externally attached GFRP sheets gave good resistance for reinforced concrete slabs against typical explosive blast.

Experimental and finite element analysis of reinforced concrete multi-cell box girders retrofitted with carbon fiber reinforced polymer strips under torsion

This study expands the state of the art in studies that assess torsional retrofit of reinforced concrete (RC) multi-cell box girders with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips. The torsional behavior of non-damaged and pre-damaged RC multi-cell box girder specimens externally retrofitted by CFRP strips was investigated through a series of laboratory experiments. It was found that retrofitting the pre-damaged specimens with CFRP strips increased the ultimate torsional capacity by more than 50% as compared to the un-damaged specimens subjected to equivalent retrofitting. This indicated that the retrofit has been less effective for the girder specimen that did not develop distortion beforehand as a result of pre-loading. From experimental observations, when the girder specimen was cracked and the transverse steel reinforcement bars started straining, the CFRP strips started to work more effectively and contributed together with the transverse steel reinforcement to resist torsion load. Additionally, Finite Element (FE) simulations were developed using Abaqus to model the torsional behavior of the retrofitted girders, the results of which were validated with the experimental data. With the numerical model, the effect of concrete compressive strength, transverse reinforcement spacing, and CFRP strip spacing were examined. The effectiveness of the CFRP strips in enhancing the torsional strength of the girder was found to increase with increasing the spacing between the transverse reinforcement.

Torsional behavior of FRP-strengthened reinforced concrete members considering various wrapping configurations: Theoretical analysis and modeling

Reinforced concrete (RC) structural members such as spandrel, flanged and curved beams, slab beams, and bridge girders may be subjected to significant torsional loading. Despite extensive research on the strengthening of RC members, very little is known about the torsional behavior of RC members strengthened with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets. Therefore, very limited guidelines apply to the design of externally bonded FRP systems for torsional strengthening, and no design provisions exist for the U-wrapped and 2-sided strengthening systems in torsion. This study aims to contribute to this growing area of research by developing a new analytical model to predict the full torsional response of strengthened RC members with many conventional configurations such as spiral, transverse and longitudinal FRP, continuous and intermittent strips along the beam length, side bonded, and full-wrapped systems. Moreover, this study provided an analytical model accurately predicting the contribution, efficiency, and failure mode of side-bonded strengthening systems. Additionally, the influence of various parameters such as FRP stiffness and transverse steel reinforcement ratio is taken into account in the constitutive law of concrete and internal reinforcement for the first time. The good agreement between the test results of 32 collected FRP-strengthened RC beams from the literature and the theoretical ones, which were predicted through programming proves the validity and accuracy of the presented theory.

Numerical analysis, experimental tests and non-linear analytical models in the study of bent timber beams reinforced with FRP strips

The paper presents selected methods for modelling bent timber beams strengthened with fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP). The assumptions are described, and the main analytical models representing the non-linear bending behaviour of wood are shown. Based on the models presented, analytical approaches considering reinforcement in the tension zone are proposed. The problem of determining the appropriate material parameters of the wood used in analytical calculations and numerical models is discussed. The main numerical methods used in timber analyses are presented. The Hill yield criterion and the generalised Hill yield criterion are discussed in more detail. A method for retrospective estimation of material properties of wood taking into account non-linear material models and fitting the generalised Hill yield criterion is described. Experimental bending tests of technical-scale beams reinforced with composites are presented. The numerical analysis was carried out and discussed. The generalised Hill yield criterion was applied to represent the behaviour of the wood, distinguishing the different yield stresses in compression and tension. The suitability of using non-linear models and advanced strength criteria in the numerical analysis of timber elements is discussed.

Strengthening of RC beams in shear with novel near-surface mounted (NSM) U-shaped fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites

Over the last three decades, various researchers have proven the high efficiency of the near-surface-mounted (NSM) fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) method for strengthening reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The shear strengthening of RC beams by embedding FRP bars or strips onto the side concrete cover is a primary application of NSM FRP investigated in numerous studies. These studies revealed that despite the high bond efficiency between the NSM FRP and concrete, NSM FRP shear-strengthened beams frequently failed in debonding modes, such as FRP–concrete interfacial debonding or side concrete cover separation. Such debonding failures limit the strength utilization and strengthening efficiency of the FRP material. Anchoring measures have been proposed for NSM FRPs to mitigate such debonding failures. However, the manufacturing and installation processes of these anchoring devices are complicated. Moreover, interfacial debonding between the NSM FRPs and anchoring devices can still occur. Therefore, this study proposes a novel NSM U-shaped FRP (NUF) device for the shear strengthening of RC beams. The proposed NUF device was fabricated using a fiber sheet through a wet lay-up process. The device can effectively increase the bond efficiency between the FRP and strengthened beam. The concept, manufacturing, and installation processes of this device are discussed. Subsequently, an experiment was performed on seven full-scale RC beams. The test results showed that the proposed NUF device is able to postpone/prevent the debonding failure between NSM FRP and concrete thus largely increase the strengthening efficiency of NSM FRP method.