Title: Effectiveness of Using Dowelled GFRP Bars to Repair Reinforced Concrete Bridge Barriers

Author(s): Juan Torres Acosta and Douglas Tomlinson

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 360

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 122-140

Keywords: anchorage, bridge, glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars, repair

DOI: 10.14359/51740621

Date: 3/1/2024

Abstract:
Three bridge barriers were tested under pseudo-static loading to assess the effectiveness of a dowelling repair technique for restoring the capacity of damaged glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced systems. Barriers were 1500 mm (59.1 in.) wide and tested with an overhang of 1500 mm (59.1 in.). One barrier was entirely reinforced with steel reinforcement with the layout and geometry common in Alberta, Canada for highway applications. A second barrier replaced all steel reinforcement with GFRP bars. The third barrier simulates repair where the barrier is damaged and needs to be replaced by removing the barrier, drilling holes, and using epoxy to dowel GFRP bars into the deck. All barriers failed by concrete splitting at the barrier/deck interface which is attributed to the complex interaction of stresses from the barrier wall and overhang. The steel reinforced barrier was strongest but had slightly lower energy dissipation than the GFRP reinforced barriers. The repaired GFRP reinforced barrier had very similar response to the baseline GFRP reinforced barrier but reached a slightly larger capacity. Previously completed finite element models showed similar general responses and failure modes but larger stiffnesses and strengths than the tests which requires further investigation.