Fire Survivability of Externally Bonded FRP Strengthening Systems
Publication: Journal of Composites for Construction
Volume 12, Issue 5
Abstract
The use of externally-bonded fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) to strengthen reinforced concrete (RC) structures is now widely recognized. However, a concern that continues to discourage the use of FRPs in many applications is their susceptibility to high temperature and fire. Although recent studies have shown that the fire endurance of appropriately designed and insulated FRP strengthened RC members is satisfactory, the specific performance of FRP systems at, and after exposure to, high temperature remains largely unknown. The results of tests on the residual properties after high-temperature exposure of various available FRP strengthening systems for concrete are reported; these include: tension coupon tests, single-lap FRP-to-FRP bond tests, direct tension FRP-to-concrete bond tests, and pull-apart FRP-to-concrete shear bond tests after exposure to temperatures up to . The data show that the allowable exposure temperatures for residual performance of externally bonded FRP systems lie between the glass transition temperature and the thermal decomposition temperature of the resin systems used. The potential consequences for fire-safe design of FRP strengthened RC members are discussed. Material properties during a fire event are not specifically addressed.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The writers would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), The Intelligent Sensing for Innovative Structures (ISIS) Canada Research Network, and Queen’s University. The writers are also grateful to Ed Fyfe at Fyfe Co. LLC and Will Gold at BASF Building Systems.
References
Akay, M. (1990). “Effects of prepreg aging and post-cure hygrothermal conditioning on the mechanical behaviour of carbon-fibre/epoxy laminates.” Compos. Sci. Technol., 38(4), 359–370.
American Concrete Institute (ACI). (2002). “Guide for the design and construction of externally bonded FRP Systems for strengthening concrete structures.” ACI 440.2R-02, Farmington Hills, Mich.
American Concrete Institute (ACI). (2004). “Guide test methods for fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) for reinforcing or strengthening concrete structures.” ACI 440.3R-04, Farmington Hills, Mich.
ASTM. (2000). “Test methods for determining area percentage porosity in thermal sprayed coatings.” ASTM E2109-00, West Conshohocken, Pa.
ASTM. (2003a). “Standard test method for tensile properties of plastics.” ASTM D638-03, West Conshohocken, Pa.
ASTM. (2003b). “Standard test method for transition temperatures of polymers by differential scanning calorimetry.” ASTM D3418-03, West Conshohocken, Pa.
ASTM. (2005). “Standard test methods for fire tests of building construction and materials.” ASTM E119-05, West Conshohocken, Pa.
Bank, L. (2006). Composites for construction: Structural design with FRP materials, Wiley, New York.
Bisby, L. A., and Foster, S. K. (2007). “High temperature residual bond properties of FRP strengthening systems for concrete.” Proc., 3rd Int. Conf. on Durability and Field Applications of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Composites for Construction, Université de Sherbrooke.
Blontrock, H., Taerwe, L., and Vandevelde, P. (2001). “Fire testing of concrete slabs strengthened with fibre composite laminates.” Proc., 5th Int. Conf. on Fibre Reinforced Plastics for Reinforced Concrete Structures, Telford, Cambridge, U.K., 547–556.
Cleary, D. B., Cassino, C. D., and Tortorice, R. (2003). “Effect of elevated temperature on a fiber composite used to strengthen concrete columns.” J. Reinf. Plast. Compos., 22(10), 881–895.
Deuring, M. (1993). “Brandversuche an nachtraglich verstarkten tragern aus beton.” Research Rep. No. 148’795, EMPA, Dubendorf, Switzerland.
Foster, S. K., and Bisby, L. A. (2005). “High temperature residual properties of externally-Bonded FRP Systems.” Proc., 7th Int. Symp. on Fiber Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement for Reinforced Concrete Structures, American Concrete Institute, Kansas City, Mo., 1235–1252.
Gamage, J. C. P. H., Wong, M. B., and Al-Mahaidi, R. (2005). “Performance of CFRP strengthened concrete members under elevated temperatures.” Proc., Int. Symp. on Bond Behaviour of FRP in Structures, IIFC, Hong Kong, 113–118.
Kodur, V. K. R., Bisby, L. A., and Green, M. F. (2007). “Guidance for the design of FRP-strengthened concrete members exposed to fire.” J. Fire Protect. Eng., 17(5), 5–26.
Lie, T. T. (1992). “Structural fire protection.” American Society of Civil Engineers Manuals and Rep. on Engineering Practice No. 78. New York.
Mouritz, A. P., and Gibson, A. G. (2006). Fire properties of polymer composite materials, Springer, New York.
Mouritz, A. P., and Mathys, Z. (1999). “Postfire mechanical properties of marine polymer composites.” Compos. Struct., 47(1), 643–653.
Porter, M. L., and Harries, K. A. (2005). Workshop on Research in FRP Composites in Concrete Construction, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Va.
Saafi, M., and Romine, P. (2002). “Effect of fire on concrete cylinders confined with GFRP.” Proc., 2nd Int. Conf. on Durability of Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Composites for Construction, Université de Sherbrooke, 512–521.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Composites for Construction
Volume 12 • Issue 5 • October 2008
Pages: 553 - 561
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Sep 5, 2007
Accepted: Nov 28, 2007
Published online: Oct 1, 2008
Published in print: Oct 2008
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.