A concise state-of-the-art survey of fiber-reinforced polymer (also known as fiber-reinforced plastic) composites for construction applications in civil engineering is presented. The paper is organized into separate sections on structural shapes, bridge decks, internal reinforcements, externally bonded reinforcements, and standards and codes. Each section includes a historical review, the current state of the art, and future challenges.

Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites for Construction—State-of-the-Art Review

Nano reinforced cement and concrete composites and new perspective from graphene oxide

In the field of reinforced-concrete (RC) structures, the use of fiber reinforced plastic rebars (FRP rebars) as an alternative to the steel reinforcements appears very promising, especially if such structures are exposed to corrosive environments. However, a better understanding of the mechanical behavior of FRP reinforcements—in particular bond behavior—is needed in order to use them for practical purposes. For this reason, in the last few years a number of tests on several types of FRP rebars has been conducted in order to evaluate the interaction phenomena between FRP rebars and the concrete matrix and to evidence behavioral differences with respect to the deformed steel rods. In this paper a state-of-the-art report on the bond of FRP bars to concrete is presented. Numerous tests are analyzed to better understand bond mechanisms and the influence of type of fiber, outer surface (shape and type of matrix), and other significant parameters (i.e., confining pressure, bar diameter, compressive concrete strength) on bond performances. Furthermore, some analytical models of bond-slip behavior are examined to assess their adequacy to reproduce the experimental bond behavior. In particular, the investigation focuses on the reliability of the well-known model by Malvar (the first one dedicated to FRP reinforcements) as well as on the model by Eligehausen, Popov, and Bertero, developed for steel reinforcements but successfully applied to FRP ones. In addition, the effectiveness of two analytical formulations proposed by the authors, the first one representing the ascending branch of the bond-slip curve and the second the entire curve is demonstrated.

Behavior and Modeling of Bond of FRP Rebars to Concrete

FRP-confined concrete in circular sections: Review and assessment of stress-strain models

The authors conducted an experimental and theoretical comparison between flexural behaviors of concrete beams reinforced with fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) reinforcing bars and identical conventionally reinforced ones. Comparisons were made in relation to cracking behavior, load-carrying capacities and modes of failure, load-deflection response, flexural rigidity, and strain distribution. The results revealed that perfect bond exists between FRP reinforcing bars and the surrounding concrete. Also, American Concrete Institute (ACI) Code formulas for predicting deflection response, cracking-ultimate moments, and cracked-effective moments of inertia can easily be adapted for modeling the flexural behavior of concrete beams reinforced with FRP reinforcing bars if appropriate modifications are made.

Flexural response of concrete beams reinforced with FRP reinforcing bars

Glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) rebars for concrete structures

Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) reinforcing bars are being used as an alterntative to steel reinforcement to overcome the corrosion problem in bridge decks, parking garages, water and wastewater treatment facilities, marine structures, and chemical plants. This paper presents test results of concrete beams reinforced with FRP and conventional steel reinforcement. The beams were tested under static loading to investigate the effects of reinforcement ratio on cracking, deflection, ultimate capacities, and modes of failure. Based on this investigation, theoretical correlations for the prediction of crack width, maximum deflection, and ultimate load-carrying capacity are proposed.

Flexural Behavior of Concrete Beams Reinforced with Deformed Fiber Reinforced Plastic Reinforcing Rods

This paper presents the experimental and theoretical results of small and medium-scale concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube (CFFT) columns. A total of 23 CFFT specimens were tested under axial compression load. Five different types of new FRP tubes were used as stay-in-place formwork for the columns. The effects of the following parameters were examined: the FRP-confinement ratio, the unconfined concrete compressive strength, the presence of longitudinal steel reinforcement, and the height-to-diameter ratio. Comparisons between the experimental test results and the theoretical prediction values by the three North American codes and design guidelines (ACI 440.2R-08, CSA-S6-06, and CSA-S806-02) are performed in terms of confined concrete strength and ultimate load carrying capacity. The results of this investigation indicate that the design equations of the ACI 440.2R-08, CAN/CSA-S6-06, and CAN/CSA-S806-02 overestimate the factored axial load capacity of the short CFFT columns as compared to ...

Axial Load Capacity of Concrete-Filled FRP Tube Columns: Experimental versus Theoretical Predictions

This paper presents the test results of a study on the bond behavior of basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) bars to concrete. Thirty six concrete cylinders reinforced with BFRP bars and twelve cylinders reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars were tested in direct pullout conditions. Test parameters included the FRP material (basalt and glass), the bar diameter, and the bar embedment length in concrete. Bond-slip curves of BFRP and GFRP bars revealed similar trends. BFRP bars developed average bond strength 75% of that of GFRP bars. All BFRP specimens failed in a pullout mode of failure along the interfacial surface between the outer layer of the bar and the subsequent core layers. The influence of various parameters on the overall bond performance of BFRP bars is analyzed and discussed. The well-known BPE and modified-BPE analytical models were calibrated to describe the bond-slip relationships of the bars. Test results demonstrate the promise of using the BFRP bars as an alternative to the GFRP bars in reinforcing concrete elements.

Radhouane Masmoudi

Papers

Flexural response of concrete beams reinforced with FRP reinforcing bars

Glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) rebars for concrete structures

Flexural Behavior of Concrete Beams Reinforced with Deformed Fiber Reinforced Plastic Reinforcing Rods

Axial Load Capacity of Concrete-Filled FRP Tube Columns: Experimental versus Theoretical Predictions

Bond performance of basalt fiber-reinforced polymer bars to concrete