Title: Performance of Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Reinforcing Bars in Tropical Environments - Part I: Structural Scale Tests

Author(s): Abhijit Mukherjee and S. J. Arwikar

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 102

Issue: 5

Appears on pages(s): 745-753

Keywords: carbon; glass fiber-reinforced polymer; reinforcing bars

DOI: 10.14359/14670

Date: 9/1/2005

Abstract:
A set of accelerated aging and natural environment tests has been carried out to evaluate performance of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforcing bar in a tropical environment. Beams were cast with the GFRP reinforcing bars as internal reinforcement. They were immersed in a 60 °C water bath for varying durations. The novelty of the experiment was that the environmental exposure was given to the beams while they were subjected to service loads. These loads kept the cracks open for reinforcing bars to remain exposed to hot water. Thus, a field environment very similar to a tropical climate was created. The loaded specimens were also subjected to natural weathering for 18 and 30 months duration. The reinforcing bars were removed from the specimens and investigated at both structural and microstructural scale to assess the degradation, if any. In the first part of the paper, the structural level studies are discussed. In Part 2, the microstructural investigation is reported.