• Elastomers and Composites
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.2-6
• /
• 2010

The sizing treatments of PAN-based carbon fiber surfaces were carried out in order to improve the interfacial adhesion in the carbon fibers/nylon6 composite system. The parameter to characterize the wetting performance and surface free energy of the sized fibers were determined by a contact angle method. The mechanical interfacial properties of the composites were investigated using critical stress intensity factor ($K_{IC}$). The cross-section morphologies of sized CFs/nylon6composites were observed by SEM. As the experimental results, it was observed that silane-based sizing treated carbon fibers showed higher surface free energies than other sizing treatments. In particular, the KIC of the sizing-treated carbon fibers reinforced composites showed higher values than those of untreated carbon fibers-reinforced composites. This result indicated that the increase in the surface free energy of the fibers leads to the improvement of the mechanical interfacial properties of carbon fibers/nylon6 composites.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.161-166
• /
• 2016

Carbon nanotube buckypaper (CNTs-BP)/thermoplastic polyurethane (PU) elastomer composites were successfully fabricated. The CNTs-BP/PU nanocomposites exhibited simultaneous improvements in both tensile modulus and strength by 1360 and 430%, respectively, as compared to pure PU. Possible reinforcing mechanisms were evidenced by SEM analyses and tensile tests. The CNTs-BP/PU nanocomposites can be potentially used as an inter-reinforcing agent in ultra-lightweight, high-strength aircraft, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, etc.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.257-270
• /
• 2022

Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) is rarely used in load-carrying structural members. To widen its structural application, the compressive behavior of a promising type of composite column, steel-fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) double-tube confined RAC column, has been experimentally and analytically investigated in this study. The objectives are the different performance of such columns from their counterparts using natural aggregate concrete (NAC) and the different mechanisms of the double-tube and single-tube confined concrete. The single-tube confined concrete refers to that in concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns and concrete-filled FRP tubular (CFFT) columns. The test results showed that the use of recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) affected the axial load-strain response in terms of deformation capacity but such effect could be eliminated with the increasing confinement. The composite effect can be triggered by the double confinement of the steel and carbon FRP (CFRP) tubes but not by the steel and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) FRP tubes. The proposed analysis-oriented stress-strain model is capable to capture the load-deformation history of such steel-FRP double-tube confined concrete columns under axial compression.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.1077-1094
• /
• 2015

This paper presents an experimental study on the effectiveness of simultaneous application of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and steel jacket in strengthening slender reinforced concrete (RC) column. The columns were 200 mm square cross section with lengths ranging from 1600 to 3000 mm. Ten columns were tested under axial load. The effects of the strengthening technique, slenderness ratio, cross-section area of steel angle and CFRP layer number were examined in terms of axial load-axial strain curve, CFRP strain, steel strip strain and steel angle strain. The experiments indicate that strengthening RC columns with combined CFRP and steel jacket is effective in enhancing the load capacity, ductility and energy dissipation capacity of RC column. Based on the existing models for RC columns strengthened with CFRP and with steel jacket, a design formula considering a slenderness reduction factor is proposed to predict the load capacity of the RC columns strengthened with combined CFRP and steel jacket. The predictions agree well with the experimental results.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.593-601
• /
• 2017

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) is one of the materials used to strengthen steel structures. Most studies on strengthening steel structures have been done on steel beams and steel columns. No independent study, to the researcher's knowledge, has studied the effect of CFRP strengthening on steel beam-columns, and it seems that there is a lack of understanding on behavior of CFRP strengthening on steel beam-columns. However, this study explored the use of adhesively bonded CFRP flexible sheets on retrofitting square hollow section (SHS) steel beam-columns, using numerical investigations. Finite Element Method (FEM) was employed for modeling. To determine the ultimate load of SHS steel beam-columns, ten specimens, eight of which were strengthened with the different coverage length and with one and two CFRP layers, with two types of section (Type A and B) were analyzed. ANSYS was used to analyze the SHS steel beam-columns. The results showed that the CFRP composite had no similar effect on the slender and stocky SHS steel beam-columns. The results also showed that the coverage length, the number of layers, and the location of CFRP composites were effective in increasing the ultimate load of the SHS steel beam-columns.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.231-235
• /
• 2014

Autoclave processing has a good quality of product, but manufacturing cost is expansive. After curing of composite, the unwanted deformation and distortion increase the manufacturing cost by redesign of tool parts. Therefore, manufacturing cost down is a big issue in processing level. For the reduction of tool costs, it is important to investigate the effects of tool materials and tool surface conditions. In this paper, we organized user subroutine in ABAQUS to consider the thermal effects of part and tool, and the results are compared with commercial code, COMPRO. And this paper suggests reference point for the selection of tool materials to reduce manufacturing costs.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.14-19
• /
• 2016

This study is about the effect of nitrogen gas pressures during manufacturing process on the mechanical properties of composite materials. $TiO_2$/epoxy resin nanocomposites and carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin(CFRP) composites were fabricated under various nitrogen gas pressures. Tensile strength test, vicker's hardness test and fracture surface observation were carried out to investigate the effect of nitrogen gas pressure. As a result, the tensile strength of nanocomposite and CFRP composites showed clearly increasing tendency by a change in the nitrogen gas pressure up to 3.0 atm and then the tensile strength decreased a little. However, the vicker's hardness of $TiO_2$/epoxy nanocomposites showed same hardness values regardless of the nitrogen gas pressures.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.1487-1505
• /
• 2016

This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the behavior of a new type of composite FRP-concrete-steel member subjected to bi-axial eccentric loading. This new type of composite member is in the form of concrete-filled square steel tube slender columns with inner CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced polymer) circular tube, composed of an inner CFRP tube and an outer steel tube with concrete filled in the two tubes. Tests on twenty-six specimens of high strength concrete-filled square steel tube columns with inner CFRP circular tube columns (HCFST-CFRP) were carried out. The parameters changed in the experiments include the slenderness ratio, eccentric ratio, concrete strength, steel ratio and CFRP ratio. The experimental results showed that the failure mode of HCFST-CFRP was similar to that of HCFST, and the specimens failed by local buckling because of the increase of lateral deflection. The steel tube and the CFRP worked together well before failure under bi-axial eccentric loading. Ductility of HCFST-CFRP was better than that of HCFST. The ultimate bearing capacity of test specimen was calculated with simplified formula, which agreed well with test results, and the simplified formula can be used to calculate the bearing capacity of HCFSTF within the parameters of this test.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.167-194
• /
• 2004

In this paper axial loading tests on low strength concrete members, which were confined with various thickness of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite sheets are described. Totally 46 specimens with circular, square and rectangular cross-sections with unconfined concrete compressive strengths between 6 and 10 MPa were included in the test program. During the tests, a photogrammetrical deformation measurement technique was also used, as well as conventional measurement techniques. The contribution of external confinement with CFRP composite sheets to the compressive behavior of the specimens with low strength concrete is evaluated quantitatively, in terms of strength, longitudinal and lateral deformability and energy dissipation. The effects of width/depth ratios and the corner radius of the specimens with rectangular cross-section on the axial behavior were also examined. It was seen that the effectiveness of the external confinement with CFRP composite sheets is much more pronounced, when the unconfined concrete compressive strength is relatively lower. It was also found that the available analytical expressions proposed for normal or high strength concrete confined by CFRP sheets could not predict the strength and deformability of CFRP confined low strength concrete accurately. New expressions are proposed for the compressive strength and the ultimate axial strain of CFRP confined low strength concrete.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.3-16
• /
• 2013

Strengthening concrete structures using FRP composites is a commonly considered technology in many practical situations. The success of the strengthening intervention largely depends on adequate bond between FRP sheets and the concrete substrate. In recent years, techniques to anchor FRP sheets in applications where sheets must develop strength in a short length have been proposed. One of these techniques includes use of FRP anchors embedded into the concrete substrate and forming part of the composite strengthening system. This paper presents the results of studies conducted recently at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to advance the understanding on the behavior of FRP anchored systems.