Design of the hybrid FRP/concrete structures for bridge constructions

Abstract

The current paper deals with the analysis of the hybrid FRP/concrete structures for bridge constructions. The glass fiber composite structure connected with the reinforced concrete was analyzed numerically. The detailed analysis of the material properties was conducted and then used in the design process of the final construction. The different loading conditions were investigated taking into account nonlinear concrete material model. The preliminary parametric optimization was applied including the different distance between bridge supports and different support shapes. Besides, the influence of two different effects of the concrete shrinkage on the strength properties of the hybrid structure was verified.

Keywords

FRP/concrete bridge

Hybrid structures

Pultrusion

Support

Mechanical properties

Finite element analysis

1. Introduction

Composite materials enforcing bars and grids have been added in place of steel elements for years. However, the combination of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite and concrete is a promising solution where characteristic properties of fibrous polymeric composites and concrete are visible in load-carrying and compression, respectively. The connection of fibrous composite and concrete gives the opportunity to obtain a bridge deck system having the best characteristics of each of constituent. In hybrid connection, the FRP material gives the opportunity of the weight reduction and increase of corrosion resistance but the application of well-known techniques of concrete construction still allows maintaining cost-effectiveness.

The favorable position FRP composites give outstanding prospects of various applications in the new projects of bridge reparation, rehabilitation and replacement. The inconveniences related to FRP composites obey their relatively low modulus of elasticity, ageing, and high initial cost depending on fiber type. Thus, the application of FRP composites in the bridge industry needs a comprehensive understanding of the behavior of FRP composites under various loading and environmental conditions.

The FRP composites applied in civil engineering can be made, for example of glass fibre and polyester or vinyl ester resin matrix. They are usually produced by pultrusion, Vacuum-Assisted-Resin-Transfer-Molding (VARTM), or open mold hand lay-up. Focusing on the applications of FRP composites in civil engineering the following areas can be listed: 1) FRP rods and tendons applied instead of steel reinforcement in concrete structural elements, 2) FRP sheets used to strengthen structural components like walls, slabs, columns, and beams, and 3) FRP panels utilized as decks of bridges. The limitations of FRP panel applications in the bridge constructions include the lack of standards for designing and manufacturing along with the insufficient understanding of the long-term behavior of a new hybrid material under mechanical loading and environmental conditions.

Mirmiran [1] postulates that the best solution of FRP composites application is in the system of hybrid construction with concrete, where an FRP constituent is responsible for load-carrying. State-of-the-art reviews on FRP composites for construction can be found, e.g. in papers by Karbhari and Zhao [2], Bakis et al. [3], Hollaway [4], [5], Sonnenschein et al. [6], and Kim [7]. Sonnenschein et al. [6] presented the stress–strain relations of fibrous composites dominating in civil engineering (including carbon, glass, aramid or basalt fibres) compared with steel reinforcement. Research efforts and applications of FRP composites in bridge structures are discussed for example in papers [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], 科技文献翻译

Abstract

1. Introduction

The favorable position FRP composites give outstanding prospects of various applications in the new projects of bridge reparation, rehabilitation and replacement. The inconveniences related to FRP composites obey their relatively low modulus of elasticity, ageing, and high initial cost depending on fiber type. Thus, the application of FRP composites in the bridge industry needs a comprehensive understanding of the behavior of FRP composites under various loading and environmental conditions.

Mirmiran [1] postulates that the best solution of FRP composites application is in the system of hybrid construction with concrete, where an FRP constituent is responsible for load-carrying. State-of-the-art reviews on FRP composites for construction can be found, e.g. in papers by Karbhari and Zhao [2], Bakis et al. [3], Hollaway [4], [5], Sonnenschein et al. [6], and Kim [7]. Sonnenschein et al. [6] presented the stress–strain relations of fibrous composites dominating in civil engineering (including carbon, glass, aramid or basalt fibres) compared with steel reinforcement. Research efforts and applications of FRP composites in bridge structures are discussed for example in papers [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], 资料编号：[589843]，资料为PDF文档或Word文档，PDF文档可免费转换为Word