This research investigated effect of submicron glass fiber modification on mechanical performance of short carbon fiber reinforced vinyl ester resin. Firstly, the mixture of resin and glass fiber was made by mixing submicron fiber into resin in a homogenizer at the speed of 5000 rpm in 30 minutes. Then, this modified resin was reinforced by short carbon fiber at the length of 1 mm, 3mm and 25 mm. The modifying effects were accessed by evaluating mechanical properties such as: bending, tensile, impact test as well as dynamic mechanical analysis. To explain some manners of material caused by adding glass fiber into resin, some techniques were also used (IFSS, SEM, laser microscope scanner, ultrasonic S-scan, X-ray ...). / 博士(工学) / Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

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Yes / The flexural performance of geopolymer concrete (GPC) T-beams reinforced longitudinally with GFRP bars under a four-point static bending test was investigated. Six full-scale simply supported T-beams were cast and tested; one control specimen was made with ordinary Portland cement concrete (OPCC), while the other five beams were made of geopolymer concrete. The G-GPC2 was designed to attain the same theoretical moment capacity as the G-OPCC6 control beam. The main parameters investigated were the reinforcement ratio of ρ_f/ρ_b= 0.75, 1.05, 1.12, 1.34 and 1.34 for G-GPC1, G-GPC2, G-GPC3, G-GPC4, and G-GPC5, respectively, and compressive strength of geopolymer concrete. Based on the results of the experiments, the ultimate strain of GPC did not show the same behaviour as that of OPCC, which affects the mode of failure. The beam capacity and deflection were, respectively, overestimated and underestimated using the ACI 440 2R-17 predictive equations.

This dissertation presents the first reported identification and analyses of the phase relations in the YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO)-SiO2 system at elevated temperatures. In this regard, a rigorous characterization study of the reaction phases within YBCO glass fibers, heat-treated YBCO+SiO2 pellets, rapid thermally annealed YBCO+SiO2 rods and rapid thermally annealed YBCO powder inside a fused silica tube is provided. These analyses are based on a vast set of generated novel results obtained using energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses on an environmental scanning electron microscope, X-Ray diffraction analyses, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses and a cross-polarized light study. First, original drawings of YBCO into glass fibers using the molten-core approach on a fiber draw tower in air and oxygen atmospheres are presented and analyzed. The performed analyses reveal the occurrence of reactions between the YBCO core and the silica cladding in as-drawn fibers as well as after additional heat-treatments. A detailed analysis and characterization of the occurring dissolution and diffusion based reaction processes is, then, provided along with the identification of the arising phase separation. Moreover, in order to analyze drawing YBCO glass fibers at lower temperatures, the use of borosilicate as the preform material is also investigated. This varied set of experiments and associated analyses reveal that the as-drawn YBCO fibers contain an amorphous core and that cuprite (Cu2O) is the first phase to crystallize out of the amorphous silicate matrix upon heat-treatment. Furthermore, the obtained results demonstrate the dissolution of the fused silica cladding into Si4+ and O2- ions and their subsequent diffusion into the molten YBCO core, leading to phase separation due to an occurring miscibility gap in the YBCO-SiO2 system as well as to silicate formation and amorphization of the YBCO core. This, as a result, prohibits the formation of the superconductive YBCO (Y-123) phase upon annealing. In addition, heat-treatment analyses show that higher temperatures or prolonged dwelling times at lower temperatures lead to the formation of barium copper and yttrium barium silicates. The analysis focusing on the use of borosilicate as the preform material reveals that drawing at lower temperatures reduces the dissolution and diffusion based reactions, but does not prevent them. Furthermore, the analysis on YBCO glass fibers with a fused silica cladding drawn in oxygen atmosphere shows that a higher oxygen content increases the dissolution of the fused silica cladding into its ions and their subsequent diffusion into the molten YBCO core. In addition, the performed heat-treatments on YBCO+SiO2 pellets in air and oxygen atmospheres demonstrate the gradual decomposition of the Y-123 phase with an increase in SiO2 content. Moreover, the rapid thermal annealing experiments with a subsequent quenching step on YBCO+SiO2 rods and on YBCO powder inserted inside a fused silica tube show the decomposition of the Y-123 phase and the formation of phases similar to the phases obtained in the YBCO glass fiber study, thus corroborating the results thereof. In summary, this dissertation enables the determination of the phase relations and reaction processes within the YBCO-SiO2 system, the identification of the direct effects of the silicon content on the Y-123 phase decomposition, as well as a rigorous characterization of the dissolution and diffusion based reactions within the YBCO-SiO2 glass-clad fiber system. The generated results and drawn conclusions build a fundamental understanding of phase relations in the YBCO-SiO2 system, which enables a definite assessment of the feasibility of manufacturing long-scale purely superconductive YBCO glass fibers using the molten-core approach and introduces advanced contributions to general glass-clad fiber systems manufactured using this method. / Doctor of Philosophy / This dissertation provides the first reported identification and analysis of the phase relations in the YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO)-SiO2 system at high temperatures. In this regard, a thorough characterization study of the reaction phases within YBCO glass fibers drawn using the molten-core approach on a fiber draw tower is provided. In addition, heat-treatment analyses considering YBCO+SiO2 pellets, rapid thermally annealed YBCO+SiO2 rods and rapid thermally annealed YBCO powder inside a fused silica tube are performed to gain further fundamental insights. The performed analyses are based on a wide set of characterization methods including energy dispersive spectroscopy on an environmental scanning electron microscope, X-Ray diffraction analyses, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and a cross-polarized light study. Our experimental results and performed analyses identify the phase relations and reaction processes within the YBCO-SiO2 system at elevated temperatures, demonstrate the direct effects of the silicon content on the superconductive YBCO phase decomposition, enable drawing definite conclusions regarding the feasibility of manufacturing long-scale purely superconductive YBCO glass fibers using the molten-core approach, and, characterize the dissolution and diffusion based reactions occurring within the YBCO-SiO2 glass-clad fiber system. In a nutshell, this dissertation provides a fundamental understanding of phase relations in the YBCO-SiO2 glass-clad system as well as key insights covering general glass-clad fibers drawn using the molten-core approach, paving the way for improved glass-clad fiber manufacturing using this method.

Transient viscosity growth measurements at the startup of shear flow were performed on long glass fiber-filled polypropylene. Samples were prepared with fibers pre-oriented either in 1-direction, 3-direction or random in 1-3 plane, where the 1-direction is the direction of shear motion, the 2-direction is perpendicular to the shear plane and the 3-direction is the neutral direction. A sliding plate rheometer incorporating a shear stress transducer was constructed in the lab. It was shown that this device works well for the tested materials including a Newtonian oil, a low density polyethylene (LDPE) and short glass fiber-filled polypropylene. The transient viscosity growth behavior for long glass fiber suspensions was subsequently investigated. The results suggested that both, fiber length and fiber concentration have pronounced effect on the steady state suspension viscosity. It was also observed that the transient behavior of the pre-oriented samples was highly dependent on the initial orientation state of the fibers. / Master of Science

This master thesis summarizes the current knowledge regarding the design and properties of glass fiber reinforced concrete products. It also deals with the design of a new concrete recipe for Dako spol. s.r.o company. There is verified effect of changes in input materials in real conditions the company to increase tensile bending strength above 20 MPa.In particular, verification of the use of building chemistry like superplasticizing additives, polymer-cement matrix or a change type or dose of glass fiber.

I dagsläget är de flesta broar i Sverige tillverkade med betong eller stål. Dessa broar är många gånger förknippade med stora kostnader som ofta beror på underhåll och reparation. FRP, som står för Fiber Reinforced Polymer, är ett relativt nytt material i bärande stommar men är ett väl etablerat material i förstärkningssammanhang. I Europa och i synnerhet Nederländerna finns det flertal broar byggda i FRP. Men på grund av brist på normer och regelverk att luta sig emot sker det sällan någon form av brokonstruktion med FRP i Sverige. Detta examensarbete syftar till att undersöka befintliga normer och studera hur materialet FRP används vid förstärkning och konstruktion av broar. Vidare syftar även arbetet till att undersöka egenskaperna hos FRP som byggmaterial och jämföra det med konventionella material som stål och betong. FRP, också benämnd fiberkomposit, är ett kompositmaterial som kan sammanställas på flera olika sätt. Genom olika material som kombineras och olika tillverkningsprocesser som används kan man på så sätt ge individuell utformning till materialet för dess användning. Fördelarna med FRP är många, men i allmänhet har det god styrka, god beständighet samtidigt som det har en låg vikt. Detta resulterar i att inom brokonstruktion så ger det strukturen en minskad egenvikt, vilket i sin tur underlättar en mängd olika saker. Detta arbete visar på att FRP-material har fördelaktiga egenskaper och kan i vissa situationer vara mer gynnsamt att använda än stål eller betong. Dock som tidigare påpekat saknas det specifika Eurokoder för detta material. Däremot är vi säkra på att introduktionen av en ny Eurokod samt med uppmuntran från myndigheter kommer användningen av FRP inom brokonstruktion utan tvekan öka. / At present, most bridges in Sweden are made with concrete or steel. These bridges are often associated with high costs, which often depend on maintenance and repair. FRP, which stands for Fiber Reinforced Polymer, is a relatively new material in load-bearing structures but is a well- established material in the context of reinforcement. In Europe and in particular the Netherlands, there are several bridges built in FRP. But due to a lack of norms and regulations to lean against, there is rarely any kind of FRP bridge construction in Sweden. The aim of this thesis is to examine existing norms and study how the material FRP is used in the reinforcement and construction of bridges. Furthermore, this thesis also aims to investigate the properties of FRP as building material and compare it with conventional materials such as steel and concrete. FRP, also called fiber-composite, is a composite material that can be assembled in several different ways. Through various materials that are combined and different manufacturing processes used, one can thus provide individual designs for the material. The benefits of FRP are many, but generally it has good strength, good durability while having a low weight. This results in that within bridge construction, it gives the structure a reduced self-weight, which in turn facilitates a variety of things. This thesis shows that FRP materials have advantageous properties and in some situations can be more favorable to use than steel or concrete. However, as previously pointed out, there are no specific Eurocodes for this material. However we are sure that the introduction of a new Eurocode and encouragement from authorities will undoubtedly increase the use of FRP in bridge construction.

Master of Science / Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering / Kevin B. Lease / This research was intended to measure the interfacial shear strength between fiber/ matrix systems and to investigate the relation between structure-mechanical properties and performance of fiber/matrix systems. This work conducted a systematic study on model fiber/matrix systems to enhance the fundamental understanding on how variation of polymeric compositions (and hence, different structures), different curing conditions, and fiber surface treatments influence the interactions between the fiber and matrix. In order to measure the interfacial shear strength of fiber/matrix systems, the microdroplet technique was used. In this technique a polymer droplet was deposited on a fiber in the liquid state. Once the droplet was cured a shear force was applied to the droplet in order to detach the droplet from the fiber. The amount of the force needed to de-bond the droplet was directly related to the strength of the bonds formed between the fiber and matrix during the curing process. In addition, the micro-droplet technique was used to evaluate effects of different crosslinker ratio of fiber/ matrix system and also to see if different curing conditions affect the interfacial shear strength of fiber/ matrix system. Surface treatment was also conducted to evaluate its effects on the interfacial shear strength of the fiber/ matrix system using microdroplet technique. The interfacial shear strength of fiber/ matrix system increased along with the increase of crosslinker ratio to a limiting value, and it decreased as long as the crosslinker ratio increased. Curing condition also caused the interfacial shear strength of fiber/ matrix system to increase when it was cured at higher temperature. Fiber surface treatment exhibited a significant effect to the interfacial shear strength as well as the fiber/ matrix contact angle measurement.

In this thesis the experimental results of seven full-scale glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced concrete (RC) slab-column edge connections are presented. The dimensions of the slabs were 2,800×1,550×200 mm with a square column measuring 300×300×2,200 mm. The test connections were divided into two series. Series I included three connections investigating the effect of flexural reinforcement ratio (0.90, 1.35 and 1.80%) when high strength concrete (HSC) is used, while Series II included four connections investigating the effect of GFRP shear reinforcement type and pattern on normal strength concrete (NSC) connections. Test results showed that increasing the reinforcement ratio increased the punching capacity and the post-cracking stiffness of the HSC connections. Furthermore, the use of headed studs and corrugated bars increased the punching capacity and the deformability of the NSC connections. Test results were compared to the predictions of the Canadian and American design provisions for FRP-RC structures. / February 2017

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo comparativo da eficiência de diferentes geossintéticos no reforço de base de pavimentos de obras viárias com ensaios de arrancamento de pequeno porte. Utilizou-se geogrelhas de polipropileno, poliéster e de fibra de vidro e geotêxtil tecido de polipropileno. Um solo com 58% de argila (subleito) e um pedregulho areno-siltoso (camada de base) foram empregados. Os ensaios de arrancamento foram executados com diferentes combinações entre solos e geossintéticos. Nestes foi utilizado um novo sistema de medida direta de deslocamentos ao longo da inclusão com sensores óticos a laser. Além de analisar os resultados com curvas força de arrancamento x deslocamentos, foi possível utilizar gráficos rigidez x deformação para determinar o melhor geossintético no reforço de base de pavimentos. Como o corpo-de-prova de geossintético é de tamanho reduzido, garante-se a mobilização completa do reforço durante o ensaio de arrancamento e assim, é possível obter a deformação do mesmo. A abertura frontal da caixa de arrancamento tem influência no valor da força máxima ao arrancamento registrada no ensaio. Os resultados mostram que a interação solo-reforço é mais importante que a rigidez não-confinada do geossintético no comportamento do material em situação de confinamento no interior do maciço de solo. Observou-se que a resistência de junta, a geometria e o agulhamento da geogrelha, além da granulometria do solo, afetam a rigidez inicial do sistema. A melhor opção para os solos e geossintéticos estudados segue a seguinte ordem: (1) geogrelha de polipropileno, (2) geogrelha de poliéster, (3) geotêxtil tecido de polipropileno e (4) geogrelha de fibra de vidro. / This work presents an evaluation of various geosynthetics efficiency in reinforced base course of road pavements using small scale pullout tests. It was used polypropylene, polyester and glass fiber geogrids and polypropylene woven geotextile. A soil with 58% of clay (subgrade), and a sandy-silty gravel (base course) were used. The pullout tests were conducted with different combinations among soils and geosynthetics. In these tests, a new system of direct measurement of inclusion displacements with laser optical sensors was used. Beyond analyzing the results with curves pullout force x displacements, it was possible to use graphics rigidity x deformation in order to determinate the best geosynthetic in base course reinforcement. As the geosynthetic specimen is of small size, the complete mobilization of the reinforcement is guaranteed and, therefore, it is possible to obtain its deformation. The frontal aperture of the pullout box influences the maximum pullout resistance. The results show that the soil-reinforcement interaction is more important than the unconfined rigidity of the geosynthetic on the material behavior in confinement situation inside the soil block. The joint resistance, the geogrid geometry and its nailing, besides the soil particles size, affect the initial system rigidity. Therefore, they are important for base course reinforcement of road pavements. The results showed that the best option for the soils and geosynthetics studied are in the following order: (1) polypropylene geogrid, (2) polyester geogrid, (3) polypropylene woven geotextile and (4) glass fiber geogrid.