Characterization of Environment-Assisted Subcritical Debond of Bonded Repairs/Strengthening of Aging Infrastructure

这项研究工作的主要目标是开发一种变革性的方法来了解退化机制，并评估FRP-混凝土界面的长期耐久性。这种方法包括：a）定量表征环境辅助的亚临界脱粘增长沿着FRP-混凝土界面的动力学，和B）在侵蚀性环境中FRP-混凝土界面的基于机制的退化模型的发展。拟议的亚临界脱粘试验密切模拟了FRP-混凝土界面使用寿命期间发生的失效，允许在试验期间与环境物种相互作用，并减少了由于混凝土固化、长期混凝土强度增加、环氧树脂蠕变、和环氧树脂固化。该项目将为长期研究和核算玻璃钢材料在混凝土基础设施中的研究和应用提供一条新的途径，从而对混凝土基础设施中的玻璃钢材料的研究和应用产生立竿见影的效果。FRP加固结构的长期耐久性。研究所提出了一项积极的教育计划，旨在补充研究活动，重点是招募传统上代表性不足的各种群体（女性、农村、少数民族和/或社会经济弱势群体）学生参加拟议的活动。一系列的教学模块将根据拟议的研究奋进，并融入PI的部门的课程开发。将通过工程学院项目为来自亚拉巴马经济停滞地区的少数民族高中生举办一个基于这项研究的讲习班。代表性不足的高中生和本科生将有机会参加这个项目。基于这项研究的研讨会将提供给科学和工程教师从历史上黑人学院和大学。

The major objective of this research effort is to develop a transformative approach to understand the degradation mechanism and assess the long-term durability of the FRP-to-concrete interface. This approach consists of a) quantitatively characterizing the kinetics of environment-assisted subcritical debond growth along the FRP-to-concrete interface, and b) development of a mechanism-based degradation model for the FRP-to-concrete interface in aggressive environments. The proposed subcritical debond testing closely simulates the failure occurring during the service-life of the FRP-to-concrete interface, allows interaction with environmental species during testing, and reduces ambiguity associated with fracture energy due to competitive effects of concrete curing, long-term concrete strength gaining, epoxy creep, and epoxy curing.This project will have immediate effects on research and applications of FRP materials in concrete infrastructure by providing a new avenue to study and account for the long-term durability of FRP strengthened structures. The PIs propose an aggressive educational plan designed to be complementary to the research activities with focus on recruiting a diverse group of traditionally underrepresented (female, rural, minority and/or socio-economically disadvantaged) students to participate in the proposed activities. A series of teaching modules will be developed based on the proposed research endeavor and blended into the curriculum of the PI's department. A workshop based on this study will be held for minority high school students from economically stagnant areas in Alabama through the Engineering Academy program. Underrepresented high school students and undergraduate students will have opportunities to participate in this project. Seminars based on this study will be given to science and engineering faculty from historically black colleges and universities.