Title: Durability of FRP in concrete – current specifications and a new approach

Authors: Ewan A. Byars, Peter Waldron, Valter Dejke, Sotiris Demis, Saqer Heddadin

Addresses: Centre for Cement and Concrete (CCC), Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK. Centre for Cement and Concrete (CCC), Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK. IFP Research Ab, The Swedish Institute for Fibre and Polymer Research, Sweden. Centre for Cement and Concrete (CCC), Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK. Centre for Cement and Concrete (CCC), Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK

Abstract: The existing design codes and guidelines in Japan, Canada, the USA and Norway are summarised and compared. A new approach to durability specification for FRP in concrete, emerging from the work of fib Task Group 9.3 is also presented. This has been designed to take account of specific environmental aggressivities, a concept that is already familiar to engineers designing concrete for durability. The philosophy adopted identifies the main aggressive situations and introduces a series of stress reduction factors to account for potential deterioration of FRP in these environments. The factors also allow for the relative resistance of different FRP types to the various aggressive environments and the desired design life of the structure. This approach is therefore considerably more flexible and less conservative than existing methodologies in current international design codes.

Keywords: FRP; AFRP; CFRP; GFRP; durability; alkali; moisture; temperature; carbonation; ultra-violet; codes; specifications and guidelines.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2003.003553

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2003 Vol.19 No.1/2, pp.40 - 52

Published online: 19 Sep 2003 *

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