Durability of the Bond Between Concrete and Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites

University Of South Carolina At Columbia, Columbia SC

Investigators

Abstract

9908293 Petrou Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites offer a practical and revoluntionary method of rehabilitating the Nation's infrastructure. A significant obstacle to their widespread acceptance, however is our inability to predict the durability of the composite-to-concrete bond. The objective of this research is to develop appropriate methodology for predicting the long-term durability of the compostie-to-concrete bond from short-term accelerated aging test methods. A multi-disciplinary team of Civil, Mechanical and Chemical Engineering faculty and students will employ both natural weathering techniques and accelerated aging tests to investigate durability characteristics of the composite-to-concrete bond. Various non-destructive evaluation techniques will be developed and employed to characterize durability of bond parameters. Detailed phenomenological modeling based on generated test results will be initiated to develop a fundamental understanding of bond deterioration, to predict bond degradation. The significance of this research is that the accelerated test methods and durability prediction procedures that will be developed are based on a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of bond deterioration. The research results will be readily implemented in civil engineering design practice. This will permit the civil engingeering community to more fully utilize the potential of FRP materials for infrastruture rehabilitation.