Physical, Mechanical, and Durability Characterization of Preloaded GFRP Reinforcing Bars
Publication: Journal of Composites for Construction
Volume 14, Issue 4
Abstract
This paper presents the physical, mechanical, and durability characterization of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) (GFRP) bars subjected to different tensile stress levels. FRP bars were first loaded at levels up to 20, 40, 60, and 80% of their ultimate tensile strength (UTS) which could create cracks and microcracks in the FRP bars and affect the long-term durability of the product. Microstructural observations were conducted on preloaded GFRP reinforcing bars to show the deterioration of fiber, matrix, and the fiber/matrix interface. Moisture absorption and tensile properties of loaded bars were also measured to estimate the potential effects of cracks and microcracks on durability-related properties and on short-term mechanical properties, respectively. Loaded bars were also embedded in a moist mortar at elevated temperature to perform accelerated aging. The measured tensile strengths of the loaded bars before and after exposure were considered as a measure of the durability performance of the specimens. Results showed that the GFRP bars start to be slightly affected by the tensile stress at 60% of the UTS. These results showed that the loading of GFRP bars did not have a dramatic effect on the durability of the bars even when a pronounced tensile stress, which was approximately 80% of the UTS, takes place.
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Acknowledgments
The writers thank the National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of CanadaNSERC, the Fonds Québécois sur la Recherche en Nature et les Technologies (FQRNT), and the Canadian Network of Centres of Excellence on Intelligent Sensing for Innovative Structures (ISIS Canada) for their support for the research reported.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Composites for Construction
Volume 14 • Issue 4 • August 2010
Pages: 368 - 375
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 8, 2009
Accepted: Jan 7, 2010
Published online: Feb 3, 2010
Published in print: Aug 2010
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