GFRP Reinforcement in Concrete after 15 Years of Service
Publication: Journal of Composites for Construction
Volume 21, Issue 5
Abstract
Glass fiber–reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite bar is emerging as a feasible and economical solution to eliminate the corrosion problem of steel reinforcements in concrete structures; thus, confirmation of its long-term durability is crucial. The objective of this study is to investigate the performance of GFRP bars exposed to concrete alkalinity and ambient conditions after 15 years of service. In order to monitor possible changes in GFRP and concrete, samples were extracted from a bridge for various types of analysis. Carbonation depth and pH of the concrete surrounding the GFRP bars were measured. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were performed on GFRP coupons. Finally, GFRP horizontal shear strength, glass transition temperature (), and fiber content were measured and compared with the results of similar tests performed on control samples at the time of construction. The SEM and EDS did not show any sign of GFRP microstructural deterioration or change of chemical composition, and and fiber content were comparable to pristine values while the results of the horizontal shear strength were inconclusive. This study adds new evidence to the validation of the long-term durability of GFRP bars as concrete reinforcement in field applications.
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Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge (1) the University Transportation Center “Research on Concrete; Applications for Sustainable Transportation (RE-CAST)” under Grant DTRT13-G-UTC45 from U.S. DOT; (2) the National Science Foundation (NSF) and its industrial members for the support provided to the industry-university Center for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI) under Grant IIP-1439543 from NSF; (3) Hughes Brothers Inc. for their openness in describing the past and present production processes, resin formulations, and assistance in field extraction; and (4) the Texas Department of Transportation Amarillo District for allowing the extraction of samples from their bridge and for providing the traffic control that kept the technicians safe during the coring operations. Findings and opinions expressed herein, however, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Composites for Construction
Volume 21 • Issue 5 • October 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 10, 2016
Accepted: Dec 28, 2016
Published online: Mar 10, 2017
Discussion open until: Aug 10, 2017
Published in print: Oct 1, 2017
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