FRP reinforcement for concrete structures: state-of-the-art review of application and design

Abstract

Fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs) are considered to be a promising alternative to steel reinforcement, especially in concrete structures subjected to an aggressive environment or to the effects of electromagnetic fields. Although attempts to develop effective reinforcement have been followed, the application of FRPs remains limited by the solution to simple structural problems that mainly appear due to the absence of design codes, significant variation in the material properties of FRP composites and limited knowledge gained by engineers as regards the application aspects of FRP composites and structural mechanics of concrete elements reinforced with FRPs. To fill the latter gap, the current state-of-the-art report is dedicated to present recent achievements in FRPs applying practice to a broad engineers’ community. The report also revises the manufacturing process, material properties, the application area and design peculiarities of concrete elements reinforced with FRP composites. Along the focus on internal reinforcement, the paper overviews recent practices of applying FRP reinforced concrete (RC) elements in structural engineering. The review highlights the main problems restricting the application of FRPs in building industry and reveals the problematic issues (related to the material properties of the FRP) important for designing RC following the formulation of targets for further research.

Keywords

• fiber reinforced polymers
• FRP bars
• reinforcement
• material properties
• application