105 PDF
105 PDF
105 PDF
Publicat de
Universitatea Tehnică „Gheorghe Asachi” din Iaşi
Tomul LIV (LVIII), Fasc. 1, 2008
Secţia
CONSTRUCŢII. ARHITECTURĂ
Abstract. During the latest decades fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composite
materials have proven valuable properties and suitable to be used in construction of new
buildings and in upgrading the existing ones. These materials have covered the road from
research laboratory and demonstration projects to implementation in actual structures.
Nowadays the civil and structural engineering communities are about to commence the
stage in which the use of FRP composites is becoming a routine similar to that of
traditional material such as concrete, masonry and wood. Two main issues are presented
in this paper, the use of FRP composite materials for new structural members (internal
reinforcements) and strengthening of existing members (externally bonded
reinforcements). The advantages and disadvantages as well as the problems and
constraints associated with both issues are discussed in detail mainly related to concrete
members.
Key words: fibre reinforced polymer, composite materials.
1. Introduction
Traditional steel based reinforcement systems for concrete elements are
facing with serious problems mainly caused by corrosion due to chemically
aggressive environments and salts used in deicing procedures especially in case
of bridge steel reinforced concrete girders. Also in some cases special
applications require structural members with magnetic transparency. An
alternative to this major problem has recently become the use of fibre reinforced
polymer (FPR) composite bars as internal reinforcement.
FRP composite materials have developed into economically and
structurally viable construction materials for load bearing elements in buildings
and bridges over the last two decades. FRP reinforcements for structural
elements in construction have raised the interest of structural engineers since the
beginning of the fibre reinforced plastics industry and the use of FRP composite
*
Corresponding author. E-mail address: taranu@ce.tuiasi.ro (N. Ţăranu)
8 Ţăranu Nicolae, Oprişan Gabriel , Isopescu Dorina, Enţuc Ioana, et al
Nevertheless, the great potential these materials present fully justifies the
research activities of numerous research centers worldwide.
The high tensile strengths of FRP composites may recommend them as
an ideal alternative to longitudinal reinforcing elements (Figs.1 and 2), for
structural concrete members subjected mainly to flexure.
0 1 2 3 4 5 Strain, [%]
b
1
2-2
2 c a
c
f
b
2
3-3 e
3 a
d
f
3 b
4 4-4
a
4 g b
Because FRPs are strong in the direction of fibers only their orientation is
recommended to control the shear cracks best.
Shear forces in a beam may be reversed under reversed cyclic loading
and fibers may be thus arranged at two different directions to satisfy the
requirement of shear strengthening in both directions.
a b c
RC slab
a FRP strip b
FRP strip
Cross-Section
RC slab
FRP strip
FRP strips
a b
excess and entrapped air. They can practically be left unsupported. In general
there is no need to use bolts for FRP plate fixing and this avoids the risk of
damaging the existing steel reinforcing bars.
c) FRP composite sheets are available in long lengths (compared to
steel plates generally limited to 6m) and their installation is much simpler: laps
and joints are not required; the material can accommodate some irregularities;
the thin FRP plates and sheets can follow a slightly curved shape without
prebending; overlapping required when strengthening plates in two directions is
not a problem because the composite products are thin.
d) The energy required to produce FRP materials is less than for
traditional materials fact that leads to sustainable solutions with minimum
impact on the environment.
e) The combination of all these advantages leads to simpler and
quicker strengthening processes than when steel products are utilized. This is
especially important for bridges because of the high costs of circulation lanes
closures.
6. Conclusions
The use of FRP in civil engineering applications enables engineers to
obtain significant achievements in the functionality, safety and economy of
construction. These materials have high ratio of strength ro density, can be
tailored to posses certain mechanical characteristics, have excellent corrosion
behaviour, convenient electrical, magnetic and thermal properties. On the other
hand FRP composites are brittle, exhibit anisotropic behaviour and their
mechanical properties may be affected by the rate of loading, temperature and
environmental conditions. FRP composite bars can be successfully utilized to
reinforce concrete elements when corrosion aggressivity is an issue and certain
electrical and magnetical requirements are needed. Externally bonded FRP
products are efficient when additional reinforcing is needed to improve flexural
behaviour and shearing capacity as well as when axial load and ductility
performance is needed by reinforced concrete columns. However, an efficient
use of polymeric composites in such applications requires a careful evaluation
of all aspects involved.
REFERENCES
1. Fardis M. N., Khalili, H., Concrete Encased in Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic. ACI
Journal, 78 (6), 440-446 (1981).
2. Meier U., Bridge Repair with High Performance Composite Materials. Mater.
Tech., 4, 125-128 (1987).
Bul. Inst. Polit. Iaşi, t. LIV (LVIII), f. 1, 2008 19
3. ACI 440.1R-06 – Guide for the design and construction of concrete reinforced with
FRP bars. ACI Committee 440, American Concrete Institute, 2006.
4. fib, TG9.3 - FRP reinforcement in RC structures. Sprint-Digital-Druck, Stuttgart,
(2007).
5. Taranu N., Polymeric composites in Construction, (Course Notes). The University
of Sheffield Printing Office, 2008.
6. The Concrete Society - Design guidance for strengthening concrete structures using
fibre composite materials. Concrete Society Technical Report No 55, 102 (2004).
7. Teng J.G., Chen J. F., Smith S.T., Lam L., FRP –Strengthened RC Structures. John
Wiley & Sons, Ltd, New York, 2002.
8. Triantafillou T. C., Upgrading concrete structures using advanced polymer
composites. In: Advanced Polymer Composites for Structural Applications in
Construction (ACIC). Proceedings of the Second International Conference, held at the
University of Surrey, April 2004, Guildford, UK, 89-100.
9. Karbhari V.M., Seible F., Fiber reinforced composites - advanced materials for
renewal of civil infrastructure. Appl. Comp. Mater. 7, 95-124 (2000).
10. Guadagnini M., Shear behaviour and design of FRP RC beams. PhD Thesis, The
University of Sheffield, UK, 2002.
11. Pilakoutas K., Guadagnini M., Shear of FRP RC: a review of the state-of—the-art.
In Composites in Construction a Reality. Proceedings of the International Workshop,
20-21 July 2001, Capri, 173-182.
12. ACI 440.2R-02. - Guide for the design and construction of externally bonded FRP
systems for strengthening concrete structures. Reported by ACI Committee 440, 2002.
13. Ciupala M.A., Pilakoutas K., Taranu N., FRP seismic strengthening of columns in
frames. Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on FRP Reinforcement for
Concrete Structures, 8-10 July 2003, Singapore, 1117-1126.
14. Masia M.J., Gale T.N., Shrive N.G., Size effect in axially loaded square-section
concrete prisms strengthened using carbon fibre reinforced polymer wrapping. Can. J.
Civ. Eng., 31, 1-13 (2004).
15. Teng J.G., Lam L., Understanding and modeling the compressive behaviour of FRP
confined concrete. In: Advanced Polymer Composites for Structural Applications in
Construction (ACIC). Proceedings of the Second International Conference, held at the
University of Surrey, 20-22 April 2004, Guildford, UK, 73-88.
16. Budescu M., Ciongradi I., Taranu N., Gavrilas I., Ciupala M.A., Lungu I.,
Reabilitarea constructiilor. Ed. Vesper, Iasi, 2001.
17. Bank L.C., Composites for Construction. Structural Design with FRP Materials.
John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey, 2006.
(Rezumat)