• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.559-569
• /
• 2019

The bond strength between composite laminates and concrete is a key factor that controls the behavior of concrete members strengthened with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets, which can be affected by several parameters such as thermal stresses and surface preparation. This article presents the result of an experimental study on the bond strength between FRP sheets and concrete at ambient temperature after specimens had been exposed to elevated temperatures of up to $200^{\circ}C$. For this purpose, 30 specimens of plain concrete with dimensions of $150{\times}150{\times}350mm$ were prepared. Three different conventional surface preparation methods (sandblasting, wire brushing and hole drilling) were considered and compared with a new efficient method (fiber implantation). Deformation field during each experiment was monitored using particle image velocimetry. The results showed that, the specimens which were prepared by conventional surface preparation methods, preserved their bond integrity when exposed to temperature below glass transition temperature of epoxy resin (about $60^{\circ}C$). Beyond this temperature, the bond strength and stiffness decreased significantly (about 50%) in comparison with control specimens. However, the specimens prepared by the proposed method displayed higher bond strengths of up to 32% and 90% at $25^{\circ}C$ and $200^{\circ}C$, respectively.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.71 no.3
• /
• pp.283-290
• /
• 2019

In global competition manufacturing companies have to produce modern, new constructions from advanced materials in order to increase competitiveness. The aim of my research was to develop a new composite cellular plate structure, which can be primarily used for structural elements of road, rail, water and air transport vehicles (e.g. vehicle bodies, ship floors). The new structure is novel and innovative, because all materials of the components of the newly developed structure are composites (laminated Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) deck plates with pultruded Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GFRP) stiffeners), furthermore combines the characteristics of sandwich and cellular plate structures. The material of the structure is much more advantageous than traditional steel materials, due mainly to its low density, resulting in weight savings, causing lower fuel consumption and less environmental damage. In the study the optimal construction of a given geometry of a structural element of a road truck trailer body was defined by single- and multi-objective optimization (minimal cost and weight). During the single-objective optimization the Flexible Tolerance Optimization method, while during the multi-objective optimization the Particle Swarm Optimization method were used. Seven design constraints were considered: maximum deflection of the structure, buckling of the composite plates, buckling of the stiffeners, stress in the composite plates, stress in the stiffeners, eigenfrequency of the structure, size constraint for design variables. It was confirmed that the developed structure can be used principally as structural elements of transport vehicles and unit load devices (containers) and can be applied also in building construction.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.77 no.1
• /
• pp.75-87
• /
• 2021

The present study pertains to the introduction of two new types of grip adaptor for universal testing machines, namely Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Polyoxymethylene (POM) grip adaptors, and their application to tension testing of FRP bars with different fiber and surface finish types. The tabs are connected to the FRP bar sample with the help of mechanical anchors, i.e. bolts. These new adaptors offer vital superiorities over the existing end tab designs (anchors with filling material or mechanical anchorage), including the reduction in the time and labor for production, reusability and the mild nature, i.e. low hardness of the tab material, which retards and even prevents peeling and crushing in the gripping regions of an FRP sample. The methods were successfully applied to FRP bars with different types of fiber (CFRP, GFRP and BFRP) and different types of surface texture (ribbed, wrapped, sand-coated and wound). The test results indicated that the both types of end caps prevented slip of the bar, crushing and peeling in the gripping zone. The mechanical properties from the material tests with the new caps were in perfect agreement with the ones from the material tests with steel tubular caps.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.685-697
• /
• 2022

In this paper, a vibration-based method using the change ratios of modal data and the experience-based learning algorithm is presented for quantifying the position, size, and interface layer of delamination in laminated composites. Three types of objective functions are examined and compared, including the ones using frequency changes only, mode shape changes only, and their combination. A fine three-dimensional FE model with constraint equations is utilized to extract modal data. A series of numerical experiments is carried out on an eight-layer quasi-isotropic symmetric (0/-45/45/90)s composited beam for investigating the influence of the objective function, the number of modal data, the noise level, and the optimization algorithms. Numerical results confirm that the frequency-and-mode-shape-changes-based technique yields excellent results in all the three delamination variables of the composites and the addition of mode shape information greatly improves the accuracy of interface layer prediction. Moreover, the EBL outperforms the other three state-of-the-art optimization algorithms for vibration-based delamination detection of composites. A laboratory test on six CFRP beams validates the frequency-and-mode-shape-changes-based technique and confirms again its superiority for delamination detection of composites.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.115-132
• /
• 2023

The present study experimentally and analytically investigates the effect of tensile reinforcement ratio and arrangement on the behavior of FRP strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The experimental part of the program was comprised of 8 RC beams that were tested under four-point bending. Results have shown that by keeping the total cross-section area of tensile reinforcing bars constant, in specimens with a low reinforcement ratio, increasing the number and decreasing the diameter of bars in the section lead to 21% and 29% increase in the load-carrying capacity of specimens made with normal and high compressive strength, respectively. In specimens with high reinforcement ratio, a different behavior was observed. Furthermore, the accuracy of the existing code provisions and analytical models in predicting the load-carrying capacity of the FRP strengthened beams failed by premature debonding mode were evaluated. Herein, a model is proposed which considers the tensile reinforcement ratio (as opposed to code provisions) to achieve more accurate results for calculating the load carrying capacity of FRP strengthened RC beams.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.491-497
• /
• 2014

The corrosion of steel reinforcement in reinforced concrete bridge decks significantly affects the degradation of the capacity. Due to the advantageous characteristics such as high tensile strength and non-corrosive property, fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) has been gathering much interest from designers and engineers for possible usage as a alternative reinforcement for a steel reinforcing bar. However, its application has not been widespread, because there data for short- and long-term performance data of FRP reinforced concrete members are insufficient. In this paper, seven full-scale decks with dimensions of $4000{\times}3000{\times}240mm$ were prepared and tested to failure in the laboratory. The test parameter was the bottom reinforcement ratio in transverse direction. The decks were subjected to various levels of concentrated cyclic load with a contact area of $577{\times}231mm$ to simulate the vehicle loading of DB-24 truck wheel loads acting on the center span of the deck. It was observed that the glass FRP (GFRP) reinforced deck on a restraint girder is strongly effected to the level of the applied load rather than the bottom reinforcement ratio. The study results showed that the maximum load less than 58% of the maximum static load can be applied to the deck to resist a fatigue load of 2 million cycles. The fatigue life of the GFRP decks from this study showed the lower and higher fatigue performance than that of ordinary steel and CFRP rebar reinforced concrete deck. respectively.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.78-86
• /
• 2003

Reinforced concrete beams are often retrofitted with various FRP composite sheets. This paper is focused on the comparison of structural performance of various FRP sheets and proposal of the retrofitting design formula. Effects of the FRP kinds(AFRP, GFRP, CFRP) and the reinforcing steel ratio on behavior of the retrofitting beams are tested and analyzed with particular emphasis on the maximum load capacity, stiffness, and ductility. The experimental work included 4 point flexural testing of 3.2m span reinforced concrete beams with bonded external reinforcements. The results show that the difference of FRP kinds is not large and the flexural load capacity is mainly affected by stiffness of the retrofitting materials. This paper also proposes the design formula on the retrofitting reinforced concrete flexural members and checks with this experimantal work and previous research results.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.91-105
• /
• 2016

One of the most commonly used techniques to strengthen steel reinforced concrete structures is the application of externally bonded patches in the form of carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) or recently, textile reinforced cements (TRC). These external patches undertake the tensile stress of bending constraining concrete cracking. Development of full-field inspection methodologies for fracture monitoring are important since the reinforcing layers are not transparent, hindering visual observation of the material condition underneath. In the present study acoustic emission (AE) and digital image correlation (DIC) are applied during four-point bending tests of large beams to follow the damage accumulation. AE helps to determine the onset of fracture as well as the different damage mechanisms through the registered shifts in AE rate, location of active sources and change in waveform parameters. The effect of wave propagation distance, which in large components and in-situ can well mask the original information as emitted by the fracture incidents is also discussed. Simultaneously, crucial information is supplied by DIC concerning the moments of stress release of the patches due to debonding, benchmarking the trends monitored by AE. From the point of view of mechanics, conclusions on the reinforcing contribution of the different repair methodologies are also drawn.

• Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.589-596
• /
• 2018

Transportation or structure has the important role at clothing, food, and housing at modern society. If even the small crack happens and propagates at transportation or structure, the parts are fractured and they can cause a disaster. CT specimen was used in order to investigate the damage trend due to the crack propagation at this study to prevent this situation. As the material of CT specimen, the unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced plastic of the composite material in the limelight nowadays. The laminate angle designated in order of [60/-60/60/-60] was applied to the specimen model with the unidirectional fiber. As the analysis condition, the forced displacement was applied to the hole of upper part after fixing the hole of lower part. At the result of this study, the equivalent stress and shear stress was shown to be higher in order of the structural steel, copper, titanium and aluminum. This study result is thought to be utilized usefully at verifying the damage of CT specimen made of inhomogeneous material.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.161-180
• /
• 2023

In the previous research, the axial compressive capacity models for the glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP)-reinforced circular concrete compression elements restrained with GFRP helix were put forward based on small and noisy datasets by considering a limited number of parameters portraying less accuracy. Consequently, it is important to recommend an accurate model based on a refined and large testing dataset that considers various parameters of such components. The core objective and novelty of the current research is to suggest a deep learning model for the axial compressive capacity of GFRP-reinforced circular concrete columns restrained with a GFRP helix utilizing various parameters of a large experimental dataset to give the maximum precision of the estimates. To achieve this aim, a test dataset of 61 GFRP-reinforced circular concrete columns restrained with a GFRP helix has been created from prior studies. An assessment of 15 diverse theoretical models is carried out utilizing different statistical coefficients over the created dataset. A novel model utilizing the group method of data handling (GMDH) has been put forward. The recommended model depicted good effectiveness over the created dataset by assuming the axial involvement of GFRP main bars and the confining effectiveness of transverse GFRP helix and depicted the maximum precision with MAE = 195.67, RMSE = 255.41, and R2 = 0.94 as associated with the previously recommended equations. The GMDH model also depicted good effectiveness for the normal distribution of estimates with only a 2.5% discrepancy from unity. The recommended model can accurately calculate the axial compressive capacity of FRP-reinforced concrete compression elements that can be considered for further analysis and design of such components in the field of structural engineering.