International Concrete Abstracts Portal

An investigation of the behavior of concrete slabs reinforced with pultruded FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic) gratings is described. Data from tests on small-scale and full-scale slab specimens obtained from three different experimental programs, beginning in September of 1989, are reviewed. Particular attention is paid to the description of failure modes, crack patterns, flexural stiffness, and shear response of the slabs. Analytical methods, based on those developed for steel reinforced concrete slabs, used to obtain predictions of the ultimate strengths and the flexural stiffnesses of the slabs, are described. Comparisons between experimental data and theoretical predictions are presented.

This paper deals with the theoretical and experimental study on the ultimate behavior of concrete members reinforced with AFRP rods under combined axial load and bending. This involving the tests on twelve model specimens subjected to eccentric tension or compression, contributes data on crack formations, ultimate strength, curvature variation and flexural rigidity deterioration. No marked difference from conventional reinforced concrete members could be observed. Ductility based on the rotational capacity of cross section and flexural rigidity after the formation of cracks were both relatively small. In cases where a certain amount of bond is maintained, even when the members are placed under axial forces, the estimation at least of the ultimate strength is thought possible by application of the beam theory with the term for the axial forces taken into account.

In reinforced concrete pavements, dowel bars are typically used to transfer the load across the transverse joint from one pavement slab into the adjoining slab. Steel dowels have been used almost exclusively in these applications in the past. Because the bars cross construction joints, they are particularly susceptible to corrosion from the salts used for ice control. Corrosion can cause the dowel bar to fail or to freeze in the joint, resulting in pavement distress. As a solution to this problem, it would appear to be practical to fabricate the dowels from a material which is more resistant to corrosion from roadway salts than is steel. This paper presents the initial results from an investigation into the feasibility of substituting fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) dowel bars for steel bars in reinforced concrete pavements. FRP dowels are compared with steel dowels, both theoretically using a Friberg analysis and also experimentally through laboratory tests with scaled model slabs. It is concluded that the use of FRP dowels is feasible, provided that dowel diameters are increased approximately 20 to 30 percent.

"The American Concrete Institute sponsored an unprecedented six technical sessions on FRP Reinforcement for Concrete at the Vancouver Conference on March 28-31, 1993. Speakers and attendees were present from Europe, Japan, Canada and the United States. The papers in this Special Publication are organized in the same subject areas as the conference. The subject topic areas and symposium sections are: 1. FRP Material Properties and Testing Methods 2. FRP Reinforcement for Reinforced Concrete 3. FRP Reinforcement for Prestressed Concrete 4. Analysis And Design 5. The Japanese National Project for FRP Development 6. Applications of FRP Reinforcement The 55 technical papers in this report represent the most comprehensive compilation to date of FRP research, design, and application information. A comparison of the papers provides an insight to the approach to the use and development of FRP reinforcement within the research communities of Europe, Japan and North America. The two symposium volumes are also significant because substantial portions of the extensive Japanese national research project have been translated into English. The Japanese papers provide an insight to both the magnitude of the technical work being conducted in Japan and the organization of the Japanese research program." Note: The individual papers are also available as .pdf downloads.. Please click on the following link to view the papers available, or call 248.848.3800 to order. SP138

PC members reinforced with FRP as tendons show brittle failure regardless of the failure mode. The authors' objective was to improve the ductility of PC members reinforced with FRP as tendons. First, the compressive properties of concrete confined with FRP as transverse reinforcement was investigated. Major improvement can be made in the stress-strain relationship of concrete laterally reinforced with FRP, and the concrete members can be given ductility characteristics similar to those of steel-reinforced members by confining the concrete with FRP. Secondly, several PC members reinforced with FRP as tendons and transverse reinforcement were tested and investigated. It was found that marked improvements could be made in the ductility of PC members with FRP tendons by confining the part of concrete subjected to flexural compression with FRP and forcing the members to undergo flexural compression compression failure. 235-493