Behaviour of new and existing steel and FRP reinforced concrete structures

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Canada's infrastructure is in a dire state. A major cause of deterioration of concrete structures is the corrosion of steel that is exacerbated by numerous freeze-thaw cycles that occur in typical Canadian weather and the deicing salts used on our highways. The current proposal would investigate the use of fibre reinforced polymers as an alternative to steel both as internal as well as external reinforcement for structures. Innovative concepts for new structures and life extension techniques for existing structures will be developed with the goal of creating sustainable and durable infrastructure. The methodology includes development of analytical models for structural behavior that are supported and corroborated with data from a large variety of structural components tested under realistic loads including repeated and simulated seismic forces. Available information in this field pales in comparison with that on steel-reinforced concrete structures. There is practically no information in areas, such as concrete columns and beam-column joints internally reinforced with FRP. Test specimens will include columns, joints and beams internally reinforced with FRP bars and slabs initially reinforced with internal steel reinforcement and retrofitted by stitching with FRP for seismic upgrade. To develop non-linear finite element models for the behavior of FRP-reinforced structures and to investigate the differences between steel-reinforced and FRP-reinforced structures, special attention will be paid to the bond between FRP and concrete, and the tension stiffening effect of FRP.