Behavior of Pultruded Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Beams Subjected to Concentrated Loads in the Plane of the Web
Publication: Journal of Composites for Construction
Volume 15, Issue 2
Abstract
Results of the behavior of pultruded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) I-shaped beams subjected to concentrated loads in the plane of the web are presented. Twenty beams with nominal depths from 152.4 to 304.8 mm were tested in three-point bending with a span-to-depth ratio of four. Load was applied to the top flange directly above the web—12 without bearing plates and 8 with bearing plates of varying width and thickness. All test specimens failed with a wedgelike shear failure at the upper web-flange junction. Finite-element results support experimental findings from strain gauge and digital image correlation data. Bearing plates increased beam capacity by 35% or more as a function of bearing plate width and thickness. Bearing plates increased average shear stress in the web at failure from 17.4 to 27.2 MPa—below the accepted value of in-plane shear strength (69 MPa). A design equation is presented, and predicted capacities are compared with experimental results. The average value of experimental capacity to predicted capacity is 1.12 with a standard deviation of 0.11 and coefficient of variation (COV) of 0.10 for sections up to 304.8 mm deep.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank the following pultruders for their generous donation of the materials used in this study: Bedford Reinforced Plastics, Inc.; Creative Pultrusions, Inc.; Fibergrate Composite Structures, Inc.; Fiberline Composites; and Strongwell. The first writer would also like to thank Paul Moy of the Rodman Materials Research Laboratory not only for his assistance on this project but for his selfless service to the U.S. Army and our nation. The second writer dedicates this paper to Urs Meier, who 20 years ago, in 1989, visited his meager laboratory to see his very first test of a pultruded FRP structure. The encouragement he provided at that time launched the writer’s career in composites for construction. He continues to be an inspiration to all in the field.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Composites for Construction
Volume 15 • Issue 2 • April 2011
Pages: 229 - 238
Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 20, 2009
Accepted: Mar 10, 2010
Published online: Mar 12, 2010
Published in print: Apr 1, 2011
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