Corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete structures results in significant repair and rehabilitation costs. In the past several years, new fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcing bars have been introduced as an alternative to steel reinforcing bars. Several national and international organizations have recently developed standards based on preliminary test results. However, limited validation testing has been performed on the recommendations of these standards. High variability of the tensile properties, degradation of tensile strength, direct shear capacity, predicted deflections due to creep, cracking behavior of FRP-reinforced concrete flexural members, bond behavior and development length, and effects of thermal expansion on cracking of FRP reinforced concrete have all been reported, but are areas that need further investigation and validation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of glass FRP reinforcing bars and provide recommendations on the design and construction of concrete structures containing these bar types with regard to the areas described. The recently developed ACI 440 design guidelines were analyzed and modifications proposed.

La necesidad de refuerzo estructural en una infraestructura existente puede venir motivada por la aparición de nuevos condicionantes de uso o por la degradación de los materiales. Desde finales de los años sesenta, la técnica del refuerzo mediante la adhesión de platabandas metálicas se ha llevado a la práctica como alternativa a otros métodos de refuerzo tradicionales. Sin embargo, las platabandas metálicas presentan algunas desventajas, como son su peso y su posible corrosión por agentes atmosféricos, que pueden solventarse sustituyéndolas por laminados de polímeros reforzados con fibras (FRP). Estos materiales poseen relaciones resistencia/peso y rigidez/peso mayores que el acero, facilitando su colocación, reduciendo costes y plazos de ejecución.En numerosos estudios empíricos se observa como la aplicación de laminados encolados puede resultar en una rotura frágil que conduce al desprendimiento prematuro del refuerzo antes de alcanzar la carga última.El principal objetivo de este trabajo es el desarrollo de un método simple y efectivo para dimensionar y comprobar el refuerzo de estructuras existentes con laminados adheridos de tal forma que se eviten los modos prematuros de rotura que conducen al desprendimiento del laminado. Se ha dedicado especial atención a la transferencia de tensiones de laminado a hormigón que resulta el punto clave del correcto comportamiento de este tipo de refuerzo.En el Capítulo 2, tras una revisión histórica de las líneas de investigación existentes, experimentales y teóricas, se ha evaluado mediante una base de datos experimental la fiabilidad de los modelos teóricos existentes para pronosticar y prevenir los modos de rotura prematuros antes mencionados. Esta base de datos experimental incluye resultados de la literatura existente y de una campaña experimental llevada a cabo por el autor en el Laboratorio de Tecnología de Estructuras de la Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña.Para resolver las deficiencias de los modelos teóricos existentes, en el Capítulo 3, se ha aplicado la teoría de la Mecánica de Fractura No Lineal a un caso de corte puro para modelizar el comportamiento de la interfase y sus roturas prematuras. Se han obtenido las distribuciones de tensiones en la interfase y en el laminado junto a la fuerza máxima transferida en función de tres parámetros (energía de fractura, máxima tensión tangencial y deslizamiento asociado a dicha tensión).La formulación de un caso de corte puro se ha extendido a un caso general de una viga bajo cargas transversales en el Capítulo 4. Se ha estudiado la evolución del desprendimiento del laminado en dos casos específicos: un elemento entre dos fisuras contiguas, y un elemento entre el extremo del laminado y la siguiente fisura. Se han obtenido las distribuciones de tensiones para las distintas fases del proceso. Cabe mencionar que la fuerza transferida entre dos fisuras alcanza su máximo valor cuando la tensión tangencial máxima llega a la fisura menos cargada. En este instante, ya se puede haber iniciado o no la formación de una macrofisura. El elemento entre el extremo del laminado y la siguiente fisura es similar al caso de corte puro.Las distribuciones de tensiones presentadas en el Capítulo 4 nos ayudan a comprender el comportamiento de un elemento reforzado con laminados adheridos en su cara traccionada, sin embargo, resultan complejas en la práctica. En el Capítulo 5 se describe un nuevo método de dimensionamiento y verificación basado en la obtención de una relación entre el máximo cortante antes de que se produzca el desprendimiento prematuro del refuerzo y el momento aplicado. Esta relación está asociada a la fuerza máxima transferida entre fisuras. A partir de la predicción del valor máximo de cortante, se verifica el desprendimiento del extremo del laminado evaluando la fuerza transferida entre dicho punto y la siguiente fisura. Se ha verificado la fiabilidad de esta propuesta mediante la base de datos de ensayos a flexión.Finalmente, en el Capítulo 6 se resumen las principales conclusiones del trabajo presentado en esta tesis y se sugieren futuras líneas de investigación. / The strengthening of aging infrastructures is in most cases required because of the necessity for increased levels of service loads or because of the degradation of structural materials. The technique of strengthening by externally bonding steel plates has been in practice since the late 1960's. However, steel plates present some disadvantages in terms of weight and corrosion that can be solved by replacing them with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates. FRP laminates provide benefits such as high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios, corrosion resistance as well as reduced installation costs due to their easy-handling.Existing experimental work has shown that the application of externally bonded laminates can result in a catastrophic brittle failure in the form of a premature debonding of the laminate before reaching the design load.The main aim of this research has been the development of a simple effective method to design and verify the strengthening of an existing structure with an externally bonded plate while preventing the premature peeling failure that causes the laminate to debond. Special attention has been drawn on to transfer of stresses from laminate to concrete through the interface, which is the main key in the correct performance of externally reinforced concrete structures.After a historical overview of the existing experimental and theoretical lines of research, the suitability of using existing theoretical models to forecast and prevent peeling failures is evaluated in Chapter 2 by means of an experimental bending test database. This database includes results from the existing literature and results from an experimental program conducted by the author at the Structural Technology Laboratory of the Technical University of Catalonia.To solve the weaknesses of the existing theoretical models, in Chapter 3, Non-Linear Fracture Mechanics theory is applied in a pure shear case to model the interface behavior and its premature failures. The stress distributions, together with the maximum transferred force are obtained as a function of three model parameters (the fracture energy, the maximum shear stress and the sliding associated to this stress).The formulae of a pure shear specimen are then extended to a general case of a beam under transverse loads in Chapter 4. For this purpose, the evolution of the debonding process is studied for two specific cases: a beam element between two cracks, and a beam element between the laminate end and the nearest crack. The stress distributions are obtained for the different stages observed in the debonding process. A specific highlight observed was that the transferred force between cracks is at maximum when the maximum shear stress reaches the less-loaded crack. In this instance, a macrocrack may or may not have already initiated. Another point observed is related to the beam element between the laminate end and the nearest crack, which is similar to the pure shear specimen.The stress distributions derived in Chapter 4 allow us to understand the behavior of an externally reinforced element, but are awkward for design purposes. Chapter 5 describes both a new design and verification method based on a maximum shear force-bending moment relationship associated to the theoretical maximum transferred force between two consecutive cracks before peeling occurs. After calculating the predicted value for the maximum shear force from the peeling relationship, the developed method verifies the debonding at the laminate end by checking the transferred force between the laminate end and the first crack in the laminate. The reliability of this proposal is verified by means of the assembled bending test database.Finally, the main conclusions drawn from the work presented in this dissertation are summarized in Chapter 6. Future work and research lines are suggested as well.

Self consolidating concrete (SCC) is widely used in the construction industry. SCC is a high performance concrete with high workability and consistency allowing it to flow under its own weight without vibration and making the construction of heavily congested structural elements and narrow sections easier. Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement, with its excellent mechanical properties and non-corrosive characteristic, is being used as a replacement for conventional steel reinforcement. In spite of the wide spread of SCC applications, bond and flexural behaviour of SCC beams reinforced or prestressed with FRP bars has not been fully studied. Furthermore, the ACI 440.1R-06 equation for determining the development length of FRP bars is based on Glass FRP (GFRP) bars and may not be applicable for Carbon FRP (CFRP) bars. This research program included an experimental and analytical study to investigate the flexural and bond behaviour of SCC beams reinforced with FRP bars and SCC beams prestressed with CFRP bars. In the experimental phase, fifty-six beams were fabricated and tested. Sixteen of these beams were prestressed with CFRP bars and forty beams were reinforced with non-prestressed GFRP or CFRP bars. Four concrete batches were used to fabricate all the specimens. Three mixes were of self consolidating concrete (SCC) and one mix was of normal vibrated concrete (NVC). The test parameters for the non-prestressed beams were the concrete type, bar type and bar diameter, concrete cover thickness and embedment length while the test parameters for the prestressed beams were the concrete type and the prestressing level (30%, 45% and 60%). The transfer length of the prestressed CFRP bars was determined by means of longitudinal concrete strain profile and draw-in methods. All beams were tested in four-point bending to failure. Measurements of load, midspan deflection, bar slip if any at the beam ends, strain in reinforcing FRP bar at various locations, and strain in concrete at the beam midspan were collected during the flexural test. The concrete compressive strength at flexural tests of SCC mix-1, mix-2, and mix-3 were 62.1MPa, 49.6MPa and 70.9MPa, respectively and for the NVC mix was 64.5MPa. The material test results showed that SCC mixes had lower modulus of elasticity mechanical properties than the NVC mix. The modulus of elasticity of the SCC mixes ranged between 65% and 82% of the NVC mix. The modulus of rupture of the SCC mixes was 86% of the NVC mixes. The test results for beams prestressed with CFRP bars revealed that the variation of transfer length of CFRP bars in SCC versus their prestressing level was nonlinear. The average measured transfer lengths of 12.7mm diameter CFRP bars prestressed to 30%, 45% and 60% was found to be 25db, 40db, 54db, respectively. Measured transfer lengths of the 12.7mm diameter CFRP bar prestressed to 30% in SCC met the ACI440.4 prediction. However, as the prestressing level increased, the predicted transfer length became unconservative. At a 60% prestress level, the measured/prediction ratio was 1.25. Beams prestressed with CFRP bars and subjected to flexural testing with shear spans less than the minimum development length had local bar slippage within the transmission zone. Beams that experienced local bond slip, their stiffness was significantly decreased. A modification to the existing model used to calculate the transfer and development lengths of CFRP bars in NVC beams was proposed to account for the SCC. The test results for beams reinforced with FRP bars indicated that the average bond strength of CFRP bars in NVC concrete is about 15% higher than that of GFRP bars in NVC. The ACI 440.1R-06 equation overestimated the development length of the CFRP bars by about 40%, while CAN/CSA-S6-06 equation was unconservative by about 50%. A new factor of (1/1.35) was proposed to estimate the development length of the CFRP bars in NVC when the ACI440.1R-06 equation is used. Beams made from SCC showed closer flexural crack spacing than similar beams made from NVC at a similar loading. The deflection of beams made from SCC and reinforced with CFRP bars was found to be slightly larger than those made from NVC. The average bond stresses of GFRP and CFRP bars in SCC were comparable to those in NVC. However, FRP bars embedded in SCC beams had higher bond stresses within the uncracked region of the beams than those embedded in NVC beams. In contrast, FRP bars in SCC had lower bond stresses than FRP bars in NVC within the cracked region. The average bond strength of GFRP in SCC was increased by 15% when the concrete cover thickness increased from 1.0db to 3.0db. Cover thicknesses of 2db and 3db were found to be sufficient to prevent bond splitting failure of GFRP and CFRP bars in SCC, respectively. Bond splitting failure was recorded when the cover thickness dropped to 1.5db for the GRP bars and to 2.0db for the CFRP bars. An insignificant increase in average bond stress was found when the bar diameter decreased from 12.7mm to 6.3mm for the CFRP bars, and a similar increase occurred in GFRP bars when the bar diameter decreased from 15.9mm to 9.5mm. New models to calculate the development length of GFRP and CFRP bars embedded in SCC were proposed based on the experimental results. These models capture the average bond stress profile along the embedment length. A good agreement was found between the proposed model and the experimental results. Analytical modeling of the load-deflection response based on the effective moment of inertia (ISIS Canada M5) was unconservative for SCC beams reinforced with CFRP bars by 25% at ultimate loading. A new model for bond stress versus Ma/Mcr (applied moment to cracking moment) ratio was developed for GFRP and CFRP bars in SCC and for CFRP bars in NVC. These bond stress models were incorporated in a new rigorous model to predict the load-deflection response based on the curvature approach. The FRP bar extension and bond stress models were used to calculate the load-deflection response. With these models 90% of the calculated deflections were found to be within ± 15% of the experimental measured results for SCC beams reinforced with FRP bars. Analytical modeling of the load-deflection for NVC and SCC beams prestressed with CFRP bars are proposed done. The moment resistance was calculated using Sectional Analysis approach. The deflection was calculated using simplified and detailed methods. The simplified method was based on the effective moment of inertia while the detailed method was based on effective moment of inertia and effective centroid. The experimental results correlated well with the detailed method at higher loads range. This study provided an understanding of the mechanism of bond and flexural behaviour of FRP reinforced and prestressed SCC beams. The information presented in this thesis is valuable for designers using FRP bars as flexural reinforcement and also for the development of design guidelines for SCC structures.

This study presents characterization of thermo-mechanical viscoelastic and long-term behaviors of thick-section multi-layered fiber reinforced polymer composite materials. The studied multi-layered systems belong to a class of thermo-rheologically complex materials, in which both stress and temperature affect the time-dependent material response. The multi-layered composites consist of alternating layers of unidirectional fiber (roving) and randomly oriented continuous filament mat. Isothermal creep-recovery tests at various stresses and temperatures are performed on E-glass/vinylester and Eglass/ polyester off-axis specimens. Analytical representation of a nonlinear single integral equation is applied to model the thermo-mechanical viscoelastic responses for each off-axis specimen. Long-term material behaviors are then obtained through vertical and horizontal time shifting using analytical and graphical shifting procedures. Linear extrapolation of transient creep compliance is used to extend the material responses for longer times. The extended long-term creep strains of the uniaxial E-glass/vinylester specimens are verified with the long-term experimental data of Scott and Zureick (1998). A sensitivity analyses is then conducted to examine the impact of error in material parameter characterizations to the overall long-term material behaviors. Finally, the calibrated long-term material parameters are used to study the long-term behavior of multi-layered composite structures. For this purpose, an integrated micromechanical material and finite element structural analyses is employed. Previously developed viscoelastic micromodels of multi-layered composites are used to generate the effective nonlinear viscoelastic responses of the studied composite systems and then implemented as a material subroutine in Abaqus finite element code. Several long-term composite structures are analyzed, that is; I-shaped columns and flat panels under axial compression, and a sandwich beam under the point bending and transmission tower under lateral forces. It is shown that the integrated micromechanical-finite element model is capable of predicting the long-term behavior of the multilayered composite structures.

Sandwich beams are composite systems having high stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios and are used as light weight load bearing components. The use of thin, strong skin sheets adhered to thicker, lightweight core materials has allowed industry to build strong, stiff, light, and durable structures. Due to the use of viscoelastic polymer constituents, sandwich beams can exhibit time-dependent behavior. This study examines and predicts the time-dependent behavior of sandwich beams driven by the viscoelastic foam core. Governing equations of the deformation of viscoelastic materials are often represented in differential form or hereditary integral form. A single integral constitutive equation is used to model linear viscoelastic materials by means of the Boltzmann superposition principle. Based on the strength of materials approach, the analytical solution for the deformation in a viscoelastic sandwich beam is determined based on the application of the Correspondence Principle and Laplace transform. Finite element (FE) method is used to analyze the overall transient responses of the sandwich systems subject to a concentrated point load at the midspan of the beam. A 2D plane strain element is used to generate meshes of the three-point bending beam. User material (UMAT) subroutine in ABAQUS FE code is utilized to incorporate the viscoelastic constitutive model for the foam core. Analytical models and experimental data available in the literature are used to verify the results obtained from the FE analysis. The stress, strain, and deformation fields during creep responses are analyzed. Parameters such as the viscosity of the foam core, the ratio of the skin and core thicknesses, the ratio of the skin and core moduli, and adhesive layers are varied and their effect on the timedependent behavior of the sandwich system is examined.

Αντικείμενο της παρούσας Διατριβής Διπλώματος Ειδίκευσης είναι η κατά βάση πειραματική διερεύνηση της αποτελεσματικότητας περίσφιγξης ορθογωνικών υποστυλωμάτων με μεγάλο λόγο πλευρών, ενισχυμένων με μανδύες ινοπλισμένων πολυμερών και σύνθετων υλικών ανόργανης μήτρας. Το πειραματικό πρόγραμμα διεξήχθη στο Εργαστήριο Μηχανικής και Τεχνολογίας Υλικών του Τμήματος Πολιτικών Μηχανικών του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών. Το πρόγραμμα αυτό, περιελάμβανε δύο σειρές δοκιμίων. Η πρώτη περιελάμβανε έξι δοκίμια και η δεύτερη δέκα. Η κατηγοριοποίηση σε σειρές έγινε με βάση το λόγο πλευρών των δοκιμίων. Έτσι, την πρώτη σειρά αποτέλεσαν δοκίμια με λόγο πλευρών (3:1), ενώ τη δεύτερη δοκίμια με λόγο πλευρών (4:1). Ένα δοκίμιο από κάθε σειρά δοκιμάσθηκε χωρίς ενίσχυση και αποτέλεσε μέτρο σύγκρισης για όλα τα υπόλοιπα. Τρία δοκίμια από κάθε σειρά ενισχύθηκαν με τρείς στρώσεις FRP και με θυσάνους. Ακόμα, ένα δοκίμιο από κάθε σειρά ενισχύθηκε με δύο στρώσεις FRP, χωρίς χρήση θυσάνου. Επίσης, δύο υποστυλώματα από τη δεύτερη σειρά ενισχύθηκαν με δύο στρώσεις FRP, θυσάνους και δύο επιπρόσθετες στρώσεις FRP τύπου U, στις δύο μικρές πλευρές. Τέλος, ένα δοκίμιο από κάθε σειρά ενισχύθηκε με τέσσερις στρώσεις TRΜ, ενώ άλλο ένα με τέσσερις στρώσεις TRΜ και με θυσάνους. / The subject of this thesis is the experimental investigation of the effectiveness of confining rectangular columns with large aspect ratio, reinforced with fiber reinforced polymers and with tensile reinforced mortars. The experimental program was conducted at the Laboratory of Engineering and Technology of Materials in Civil Engineering, University of Patras. This program is consisted of two sets of samples. The first included six small scale columns and the second ten. The categorization in series was based on the aspect ratio of the specimens. So specimens with aspect ratio (3: 1) were included in the first series, while the second included specimens with aspect ratio (4: 1). One specimen from each series was tested without any reinforcement and became the comparison for all the rest. Three specimens from each series were reinforced with three layers of FRP and anchors. Still, a sample from each series was reinforced with two layers of FRP, without use of anchors. Also, two columns of the second series of amplified with two layers FRP, anchors and two additional layers of FRP type U, in the two smaller sides. Finally, a sample from each series was reinforced with four layers TRM, while another one to four layers TRM and anchors.

Ενίσχυση σε κάμψη στοιχείων οπτοπλινθοδομής με τη χρήση συνθέτων υλικών ανόργανης μήτρας και με την τοποθέτηση σύνθετων ράβδων σε εγκοπές. Περιγραφή διαδικασίας ενισχύσεων, πειραματικής διαδικασίας, πειραματικών αποτελεσμάτων και θεωρητική ανάλυση. / Reinforcement of masonry using TRM(Textiles Reinforced with mortar)and NSM.

Είναι γενικώς αποδεκτό ότι η φροντίδα και η υποστήριξη των παλαιών κατασκευών σκυροδέματος ή λιθοσωμάτων είναι το θέμα-κλειδί του τρέχοντα αιώνα. Οι παλαιές αυτές κατασκευές είτε είναι απαρχαιωμένες είτε είναι λειτουργικά ανεπαρκείς, ενώ σε κάποιες άλλες περιπτώσεις έχουν υποστεί βλάβες, οπότε υπάρχει ανάγκη αντικατάστασης ή αποκατάστασης τους. Καθώς η αντικατάσταση, όμως, είναι πρακτικά αδύνατη, τίθεται θέμα αποκατάστασης της ήδη υπάρχουσας κατασκευής και σε πολλές περιπτώσεις και ενίσχυσης της. Εκτός των συμβατικών μεθόδων αποκατάστασης και ενίσχυσης, τα τελευταία χρονιά έχουν αναπτυχθεί νέες μέθοδοι ενίσχυσης, μια εκ των οποίων είναι αυτή που κάνει χρήση σύνθετων ίνο-οπλισμένων πολυμερών (FRP-Fiber Reinforced Plastics). Τα σύνθετα FRP πλεονεκτούν σε σχέση με τα συμβατικά υλικά σε αρκετά σημεία, όπως η μικρότερη διάβρωση από τις περιβαλλοντικές συνθήκες, πράγμα που αυξάνει το χρόνο ζωής τους και μειώνει την ανάγκη για τη συντήρηση τους. Ο κυριότερος, όμως, λόγος μελέτης τους αλλά και η ανάγκη για την εξέλιξη τους είναι η υψηλή αντοχή τους σε σχέση με το βάρος τους, γεγονός που τα κάνει πολύ πιο εύχρηστα. Ο πιο πρόσφορος τρόπος ελέγχου και αποτίμησης σε περιπτώσεις ενίσχυσης με σύνθετα FRP είναι με μη καταστροφικές μεθόδους αποτίμησης. Σε αυτή την περίπτωση τα σύνθετα FRP επιθεωρούνται τόσο κατά την εφαρμογή τους όσο και κατά τη διάρκεια ζωής τους για τυχόν ατέλειες στην επικόλληση αλλά και για βλάβες που μπορεί να επέλθουν, ώστε να αναγνωριστούν και να γίνουν οι κατάλληλες διορθωτικές ενέργειες ή να αντικατασταθεί η υπάρχουσα ενίσχυση. Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής είναι η ανάδειξη των μη καταστροφικών μεθόδων αποτίμησης ως ένα πολύ χρήσιμο και αποδοτικό εργαλείο στα χεριά του πολιτικού μηχανικού. Προς αυτή την κατεύθυνση ακολουθούν τα εξής: Στο 1ο Κεφάλαιο αναφέρονται οι βασικές μη καταστρεπτικές μέθοδοι ελέγχου, οι βασικές αρχές λειτουργίας και ο αντίστοιχος εξοπλισμός τους. Έπειτα, στο 2ο και στο 3ο Κεφάλαιο δίνεται αναλυτικά η θεωρία της υπέρυθρης θερμογραφίας, ο αντίστοιχος εξοπλισμός και κάποιες πειραματικές δοκιμές εργαστηρίου. Στο 4ο κεφάλαιο περιέχονται εφαρμογές υπέρυθρης θερμογραφίας (IR-infrared thermography) πεδίου σε έργα πολιτικού μηχανικού και εφαρμογές σε θέματα θερμομόνωσης. Τέλος, στο 5ο και τελευταίο Κεφάλαιο της εργασίας αυτής αναφέρονται τα συμπεράσματα που εξάγονται. / -

Corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete structures results in significant repair and rehabilitation costs. In the past several years, new fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcing bars have been introduced as an alternative to steel reinforcing bars. Several national and international organizations have recently developed standards based on preliminary test results. However, limited validation testing has been performed on the recommendations of these standards. High variability of the tensile properties, degradation of tensile strength, direct shear capacity, predicted deflections due to creep, cracking behavior of FRP-reinforced concrete flexural members, bond behavior and development length, and effects of thermal expansion on cracking of FRP reinforced concrete have all been reported, but are areas that need further investigation and validation. The objective of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of glass FRP reinforcing bars and provide recommendations on the design and construction of concrete structures containing these bar types with regard to the areas described. The recently developed ACI 440 design guidelines were analyzed and modifications proposed.

Reinforcement of concrete flexural components has been traditionally provided by steel rebar; however, durability concerns and life maintenance costs of this product have powered the emergence of fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) as reinforcement in concrete. FRP products hold tremendous promise but their application can be constrained due to design challenges resulting from a reduced modulus of elasticity. The ability to meet serviceability behavior, such as crack width and deflection, is commonly the limiting factor for design. Therefore, the area of FRP reinforcement provided is often greater than the amount required for strength alone and this has significant impacts on the project economics. The bond dependent coefficient (kb) of FRP is required for serviceability design purposes in order to account for the bonding capability of FRP to concrete. The values of this coefficient reported in experimental studies are highly variable, resulting in unreliable crack response predictions. Therefore, a more consistent interpretation and calculation must be found for the bond dependent coefficient due to its critical importance in design. The bond dependent coefficient, as well as physical parameters which influence crack width in GFRP reinforced concrete, were investigated experimentally in this study using a total of 33 specimens. The test procedure was taken from a procedure being developed by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Committee 440 and was evaluated and modified as required during testing. Phase I testing was used to investigate and determine the physical parameters which had the most significant influence on cracking behaviour and bonding capability. Using significant findings from Phase I, Phase II testing was structured to focus on the interpretation of the bond dependent coefficient and the statistical variation in a set of 5 identical test specimens. Current design equations, as recommended by ACI 440.1R-06 and CHBDC CAN/CSA-S6-06, were used for the calculation of the bond dependent coefficient for all specimens. Interpretation of the bond dependent coefficient was considered using the stress-level approach and newly developed slope approach. Results of the study indicated that the high variability of kb was likely due to its interpretation. Current design equations force a zero intercept, neglecting the fact that concrete does not crack immediately upon loading. In addition, clear definitions of service stress and maximum crack width are ambiguous, further complicating the calculation of the bond dependent coefficient. This resulted in a range of kb values for a given beam despite the fact that kb is inherently a material property of the bar. The behaviour of specimens following load cycling was also very different than the initial loading cycle and consequently, kb was also significantly different. As structures in the field will be subjected to continual loading and unloading, the effect of cyclic loading becomes a consideration in the calculation of kb.