Title:
Resistance to Freezing and Thawing of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Concrete Bond
Author(s):
Luke A. Bisby and Mark F. Green
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
99
Issue:
2
Appears on pages(s):
215-223
Keywords:
durability; rehabilitation; reinforced concrete; repair.
DOI:
10.14359/11547
Date:
3/1/2002
Abstract:
Flexural and shear strengthening of reinforced concrete beams by external bonding of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets is rapidly becoming a repair and rehabilitation technique of choice in the civil engineering community. There are, however, a number of concerns related to the durability of this repair technique, especially in cold climates. This paper presents the results of an experimental and theoretical investigation into the effects of freeze-thaw cycling on the FRP-concrete bond. The results of flexural tests on 39 small-scale flexural beams, reinforced in tension with externally bonded FRP sheets, are presented and discussed. The beams were subjected to between 0 and 300 freezing-and-thawing cycles and were plated with four different FRP materials. Results indicate that little, if any, damage to the FRP-concrete bond results from freezing-and-thawing cycling. A simple analytical model to predict bond behavior and the potential for bond damage due to thermal cycling is discussed.