Fiber Reinforced Polymer Types
Fiber Reinforced Polymer Types
Fiber Reinforced Polymer Types
for Construction
• To provide students with a general awareness of
FRP materials and their potential uses
• To provide information on some of the potential
uses of FRPs in civil engineering applications
• To provide guidance for students seeking
additional information on FRPs
Outline
Concrete
Reinforcing
Steel
FRP Materials
Corrosion resistant Highly versatile
Durable structures Suit any project
FRP Materials
General
FRP advantages
Will not corrode electrochemically (durability)
High strength-to-weight ratio
Electromagnetically inert
Ease and speed of installation
Ability to tailor mechanical properties (versatility)
Low thermal conductivity
FRP Materials
Pro/Con
• What is FRP?
Fibres Matrix
Provide strength Protects and transfers load
and stiffness between fibres
Carbon, glass, aramid Epoxy, vinyl ester
Stress, σ
Fibre
FRP
Matrix
Strain, ε
• Polymer:
• An organic compound comprised of long-chain
molecules consisting of smaller repeated units called
monomers
• Two types:
Thermoplastics
→ polyethylene, nylon, polyamide
Thermosetting polymers
→ polyester, vinylester, epoxy
Thermoplastics
Matrix Polymers
• Polyesters
• Widely used for FRP components (not for rebars)
• Inexpensive, easy processing
• Vinylesters
• Used commonly in FRP rebars (alkali resistance)
• Reduced moisture absorption and shrinkage
• More expensive
• Epoxies
• Used in wet lay-up applications and laminate fabrication
• Outstanding adhesion and bonding characteristics
• Highest cost
Composites
FRP
For Construction
Fibre Component Section: 2
FRP Materials
• Fibres provide strength and stiffness
high stiffness
high ultimate strength
low variation of strength between individual fibres
stability during handling
uniform diameter
extremely large length-to-diameter ratio
Composites
FRP
For Construction
Fibre Component Section: 2
FRP Materials
• Inexpensive
• Most commonly used
• Several grades available:
• E-Glass
• R-Glass
• AR-Glass (alkali resistant)
6000
E-Glass
5000 Aramid
Standard Carbon
High-Modulus Carbon
Stress (MPa)
• Unidirectional FRPs
• Fibres in one direction only
• Aligned along longitudinal axis
• Stronger and stiffer in fibre direction
Unidirectional
Glass FRP
glass FRP bar
grid
Carbon FRP
prestressing Glass fibre
tendon roving
Carbon fibre
roving
Composites
FRP
For Construction
Manufacturing FRP Materials Section: 2
1. Pultrusion:
• FRP bars, structural sections, plates
2. Wet lay up
• FRP sheets for repair applications, laminates
Resin-saturated FRP
lamina (fabrics) are
placed over a mould or
an existing structural
member
Composites
FRP
For Construction
Manufacturing FRP Materials Section: 2
3. Filament winding:
• FRP tubes, poles, tanks, forms
Fibre Roving
Motor
Rotating Mandrel
Composites
FRP
For Construction
Manufacturing FRP Materials Section: 2
Filament winding
Composites
FRP
For Construction
Mechanical Properties Section: 3
• FRP properties
(in general versus steel):
2500
• Linear elastic behaviour
2000
to failure CFRP
Stress [MPa]
1500
GFRP
• No yielding 1000
Steel
• Higher ultimate strength 500
1 2 3
(carbon FRP)
Composites
FRP
For Construction
Quantitative Comparison Section: 3
Typical Mechanical Properties*
Fibre Type
Criterion
Carbon Aramid Glass
Tensile Strength Very Good Very Good Very Good
Modulus of Elasticity Very Good Good Adequate
Long Term Behaviour Very Good Good Adequate
Fatigue Behaviour Excellent Good Adequate
Bulk Density Good Excellent Adequate
Temperature = Creep
• Aramid fibres
UV degradation of mechanical properties
• Polymer matrices
slight degradation and discolouration
• UV protection options
matrix additives, pigmented gel coats, painting
Composites
FRP
For Construction
Alkalinity Section: 4
Environmental Durability
• Glass fibres
• Reduced toughness Alkalinity-induced
• Reduced strength embrittlement
All-FRP structures
FRP-reinforced concrete
Repair and rehabilitation
Hybrid FRP structures
Smart materials
FRP ground anchors
architectural panels
Infinite possibilities...
Composites
FRP
For Construction
All-FRP Structures Section: 5
Applications
Headingley, Manitoba
Opened 1998
2-lanes
Composites
FRP
For Construction
FRP-Reinforced Concrete Section: 5
Taylor Bridge
Flexural reinforcement
Tokyo Rope
carbon FRP
reinforcement
Shear reinforcement
Epoxy coated
steel bar stirrups
Monitor long-
term behaviour
Compare FRP
with conventional
materials
Composites
FRP
For Construction
FRP-Reinforced Concrete Section: 5
Applications
Sherbrooke, Quebec
Re-opened 1997
Flexural reinforcement
Portions
reinforced with
carbon FRP
Barrier Wall
Sidewalk
Deck
Composites
FRP
For Construction
FRP-Reinforced Concrete Section: 5
Joffre Bridge
Placement of instrumented carbon FRP
deck reinforcement grids
Composites
FRP
For Construction
FRP-Reinforced Concrete Section: 5
Joffre Bridge
Sensing system
Over 180
monitoring
instruments
Measure
long-term
performance
Composites
FRP
For Construction
FRP-Reinforced Concrete Section: 5
Applications
Wotton, Quebec
Re-opened 2001
Morristown, Vermont
Re-opened 2002
43 metre span
ISOROD GFRP in
deck slab
Bridge deck reinforcement
Composites
FRP
For Construction
FRP-Reinforced Concrete Section: 5
Morristown Bridge
GFRP reinforcement for the deck slab
just prior to placing the concrete
Composites
FRP
For Construction
Repair and Rehabilitation Section: 5
Applications
EAST
DT-1 DT-3
DT-13
LOAD 4 DT's
FRAME
GRADE
BEAM 4 DT's
PILES
GEOPIERS
Southbound I-15 South Temple Bridge
Beam-Column Joints
State Street Bridge
State Street Bridge
FRP Connectors for Concrete Precast Building Panels
FRP Induced Shear Friction
Confinement of Rectangular Columns with Post-Tensioned FRP Shells