The introduction of fibre-reinforced polymers (FRPs) to the field of civil engineering has led to numerous research efforts focusing on a wide range of applications where properties such as high strength, light weight or corrosion resistance are desirable. In particular, FRP materials have been especially attractive for use as internal reinforcement in reinforced concrete (RC) structures exposed to aggressive environments due to the rapidly deteriorating infrastructure resulting from corrosion of conventional steel reinforcement. While FRPs have been successfully implemented in a variety of structural applications, little research has been conducted on the use of FRP reinforcement for short span slab bridges. Furthermore, the behaviour of FRP-RC flexural members cast with self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is largely absent from the literature. The present study investigates the behaviour of an all-FRP reinforcement system for slab bridges which combines lower cost glass FRP (GFRP) reinforcing bars with high performance carbon FRP (CFRP) prestressed tendons in SCC to produce a structure which is both cost-efficient and characterized by excellent structural performance at the serviceability, ultimate and fatigue limit states. An extensive experimental program comprised of 57 large or full-scale slab strips was conducted to investigate the effects of reinforcement type, reinforcement ratio, prestressing level and shear reinforcement type on the flexural performance of slab bridges under both monotonic and fatigue loading. The proposed reinforcement system was found to display excellent serviceability characteristics and high load capacities as well as significant deformability to allow for sufficient warning prior to failure. Lastly, the use of post-tensioned CFRP tendons limited the stresses in the GFRP reinforcing bars leading to significantly longer fatigue lives and higher fatigue strengths compared to non-prestressed slabs. Analytical models were used to predict the behaviour of the slab bridge strips at service and at ultimate. Where these models failed to accurately represent the experimental findings, simple modifications were proposed. The results from ancillary tests were also used to modify existing analytical models to predict the effects of fatigue loading on the deflection, crack width, shear resistance and flexural capacity of each of the tested slabs.

Ageing infrastructure that is shear deficient and may be at risk of brittle collapse, particularly in seismically active regions, can be economically strengthened using externally bonded fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP). Although many studies have been conducted on small-scale specimens subject to monotonic loading, little experimental data exists for large-scale specimens and those tested under reversed cyclic loading to simulate a seismic event. An experimental study of large-scale (400 mm x 650 mm) beam specimens strengthened in shear with FRP was conducted to examine the effects of reversed cyclic loading and to quantify material shear strength contributions. Testing showed that FRP retrofits were highly effective at improving shear performance and were not adversely affected by reversed cyclic loading prior to the occurrence of flexural yielding. The shear resistance attributed to concrete was found to remain relatively consistent with reversed cyclic loading prior to flexural yielding, after which point concrete strength decay was apparent. The loss of concrete shear resistance directly influenced the rate of FRP straining and the achievable ductility. An analytical model using the Modified Compression Field Theory (MCFT) was developed for externally bonded FRP reinforcement to describe the experimental behaviour and to evaluate the accuracy of current FRP design methods. Failures were accurately modelled when appropriate FRP strain limits were used for the ultimate strength and for the stress transfer capacity across the shear crack. Proposed FRP strain limits were developed considering the strain distribution along the crack plane. In addition, improved strain limits incorporate the effect of rupture failure due to stress concentrations in the FRP wrapped around the beam corners. The proposed FRP formulations offer improved accuracy over the current FRP design methods (CSA S6-06 and ACI 440.2R-08), which suggest a broadly applied maximum strain limit of 0.004 mm/mm, which was determined to be overly conservative for FRP rupture failures.

Ageing infrastructure that is shear deficient and may be at risk of brittle collapse, particularly in seismically active regions, can be economically strengthened using externally bonded fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP). Although many studies have been conducted on small-scale specimens subject to monotonic loading, little experimental data exists for large-scale specimens and those tested under reversed cyclic loading to simulate a seismic event. An experimental study of large-scale (400 mm x 650 mm) beam specimens strengthened in shear with FRP was conducted to examine the effects of reversed cyclic loading and to quantify material shear strength contributions. Testing showed that FRP retrofits were highly effective at improving shear performance and were not adversely affected by reversed cyclic loading prior to the occurrence of flexural yielding. The shear resistance attributed to concrete was found to remain relatively consistent with reversed cyclic loading prior to flexural yielding, after which point concrete strength decay was apparent. The loss of concrete shear resistance directly influenced the rate of FRP straining and the achievable ductility. An analytical model using the Modified Compression Field Theory (MCFT) was developed for externally bonded FRP reinforcement to describe the experimental behaviour and to evaluate the accuracy of current FRP design methods. Failures were accurately modelled when appropriate FRP strain limits were used for the ultimate strength and for the stress transfer capacity across the shear crack. Proposed FRP strain limits were developed considering the strain distribution along the crack plane. In addition, improved strain limits incorporate the effect of rupture failure due to stress concentrations in the FRP wrapped around the beam corners. The proposed FRP formulations offer improved accuracy over the current FRP design methods (CSA S6-06 and ACI 440.2R-08), which suggest a broadly applied maximum strain limit of 0.004 mm/mm, which was determined to be overly conservative for FRP rupture failures.

The introduction of fibre-reinforced polymers (FRPs) to the field of civil engineering has led to numerous research efforts focusing on a wide range of applications where properties such as high strength, light weight or corrosion resistance are desirable. In particular, FRP materials have been especially attractive for use as internal reinforcement in reinforced concrete (RC) structures exposed to aggressive environments due to the rapidly deteriorating infrastructure resulting from corrosion of conventional steel reinforcement. While FRPs have been successfully implemented in a variety of structural applications, little research has been conducted on the use of FRP reinforcement for short span slab bridges. Furthermore, the behaviour of FRP-RC flexural members cast with self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is largely absent from the literature. The present study investigates the behaviour of an all-FRP reinforcement system for slab bridges which combines lower cost glass FRP (GFRP) reinforcing bars with high performance carbon FRP (CFRP) prestressed tendons in SCC to produce a structure which is both cost-efficient and characterized by excellent structural performance at the serviceability, ultimate and fatigue limit states. An extensive experimental program comprised of 57 large or full-scale slab strips was conducted to investigate the effects of reinforcement type, reinforcement ratio, prestressing level and shear reinforcement type on the flexural performance of slab bridges under both monotonic and fatigue loading. The proposed reinforcement system was found to display excellent serviceability characteristics and high load capacities as well as significant deformability to allow for sufficient warning prior to failure. Lastly, the use of post-tensioned CFRP tendons limited the stresses in the GFRP reinforcing bars leading to significantly longer fatigue lives and higher fatigue strengths compared to non-prestressed slabs. Analytical models were used to predict the behaviour of the slab bridge strips at service and at ultimate. Where these models failed to accurately represent the experimental findings, simple modifications were proposed. The results from ancillary tests were also used to modify existing analytical models to predict the effects of fatigue loading on the deflection, crack width, shear resistance and flexural capacity of each of the tested slabs.

No description available.

This research involves the study of the short term loaded behaviour of mechanically degraded reinforced concrete (RC) flexural elements, which are strengthened with fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. The two main objectives have been: (a) to conduct a series of realistic tests, the results of which would be used to establish the design criteria, and (b) to carry out analytical modelling and hence develop a set of suitable design equations. It is expected that this work will contribute towards the establishment of definitive design guidelines for the strengthening of reinforced concrete structures using advanced fibre composites. The experimental study concentrated on the laboratory testing of 30 simply supported, and 4 two-span continuous full size RC beams, which were strengthened by either FRP plates or fabric sheets. The failure modes of these beams, at ultimate limit state, were examined and the influencing factors were identified. A premature and extremely brittle collapse mechanism was found to be the predominant type of failure for beams strengthened with a large area of FRP composites. A modified semi-empirical approach was presented for predicting the failure load of such over strengthened beams. Despite the lack of ductility in fibre composites, it was found that the FRP strengthened members would exhibit acceptable ductile characteristics, if they were designed to be under strengthened. A new design-based methodology for quantifying the deformability of FRP strengthened elements was proposed, and its difference to the conventional concept of ductility was discussed. The available techniques for ductility evaluation of FRP strengthened concrete members were reviewed and a suitable method was recommended for determining ductility level of FRP strengthened members. A non-linear material based analytical model was developed to simulate the flexural behaviour of the strengthened and control beams, the results were seen to match very well. The parametric study provided an insight into the effects of various factors including the mechanical properties and cross sectional area of FRP composites, on the failure modes and ductility characteristics of the strengthened beams. Based on the findings of the experimental and analytical studies, design equations in the BS 8110 format were developed, and design case studies have been carried out. It was concluded that fibre composites could effectively and safely strengthen mechanically degraded reinforced concrete structures if appropriately designed. The modes of failure and the degree of performance enhancement of FRP strengthened beams depend largely on the composite material properties as well as the original strength and stiffness of the RC structure. If the FRP strengthened elements were designed to be under-strengthened, then the premature and brittle failure mode could be prevented and ductile failure mode could be achieved. It was also found that existing steel reinforcement would always yield before the FRP composite reached the ultimate strength. Furthermore, a critical reinforcement ratio, above which FRP strengthening should not be carried out, was defined. It was concluded that FRP strengthening is most suitable for reinforced concrete floor slabs, bridge decks, flanged beams and other relatively lightly reinforced elements. The study also revealed that to avoid a brittle concrete failure, existing doubly reinforced members should not be strengthened by FRP composites.

Engineered wood products (EWP) are becoming extremely popular and a viable material option for the construction of residential, commercial, and hybrid buildings. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is among one of the many EWP available in North America, which can be utilized for many different applications such as: walls, floors, and roofs. Despite the available requirements in the Canadian blast design standard (CSA, 2012) with regard to the design of wood structures, there are currently no provisions on how to retrofit timber structures to improve their performance when subjected to blast loads. The current study is aimed at investigating the effect of different retrofitting alternatives in order to improve the overall behaviour of CLT when exposed to out-of-plane bending. The experimental program examined the behaviour of seventeen reinforced CLT slabs. Testing was conducted at the University of Ottawa by means of a shock tube capable of simulating high strain rates similar to those experienced during a blast event. The current study was divided into two phases. The first consisted of CLT slabs retrofitted with steel straps where strap spacing, location, and order of installation was investigated. The second phase focused on the development of dynamic properties of CLT panels when reinforced with GFRP. Lay-up configuration and fabric orientation were among the parameters explored. The results from the experimental program show that reinforcing the panels with steel straps had minimal effect on the ultimate strength, but significant levels of post peak resistance and ductility was achieved. The horizontal straps were able to restrict the failure to small regions and to promote flexural failure by preventing rolling shear failure. It also eliminated flying debris and enhanced the ultimate strength, stiffness as well as ductility. Applying GFRP layers enhanced the overall behaviour of the slab resulting in a significant increase in peak resistance, ductility, and stiffness when compared to the dynamic results of an unretrofitted panel. The post peak resistance was also greatly improved. In particular, applying stacked quadraxial lay-up configuration significantly improved the ductility and resulted in the greatest post peak resistance. The effect of steel straps on damaged and retrofitted was relatively minimal, and only partial recovery of the resistance and the stiffness was achieved. GFRP with full confinement yielded better performance compared to the unretrofitted and undamaged counterpart. More work is needed to quantify the benefits of using GFRP in these applications.

Afin de prolonger leur durée de vie et d'assurer la sécurité des usagers, les structures en béton peuvent nécessiter un renforcement au cours de leur durée de service. La technique de renforcement par collage externe, en surface, de composites renforcés de fibres de carbone, de verre ou d'aramide à l'aide de résines durcissant à température ambiante est largement employée pour son efficacité et sa facilité de mise oeuvre. Toutefois l'utilisation à la fois de fibres synthétiques et de matrices polymères produit un impact écologique non négligeable. L'objectif de ce travail de recherche est d'examiner la possibilité d'utiliser des fibres de lin pour le renforcement externe de structures en béton. Les propriétés mécaniques spécifiques et le bilan environnemental avantageux des fibres de lin en font une alternative intéressante aux fibres de verre. Cependant leur origine naturelle conduit à une plus grande variabilité des propriétés, à un comportement en traction non linéaire et une sensibilité accrue à l'humidité. Les principaux objectifs du travail de thèse portent ainsi sur la sélection des matériaux et la mise en oeuvre les plus adaptés, sur l'évaluation des performances du matériau et de son adhérence au support béton et sur une évaluation de la durabilité des propriétés du système. Dans une première partie expérimentale deux méthodes de mise en oeuvre du renfort à fibres de lin (stratification au contact et collage de lamelles rigides) sont développées et caractérisées. Des observations tomographies X confirment la bonne imprégnation des fibres et la cohésion des composites. Les essais de traction révèlent un comportement en traction bilinéaire comme décrit dans la littérature, avec des propriétés d'effort par largeur de bande comparables aux composites de renfort à fibres de verre. La caractérisation des interfaces composite/béton menée par tests de cisaillement à double recouvrement confirme une bonne adhérence qui se traduit par une rupture cohésive dans le substrat béton. La nature des fibres ne semble pas influencer le comportement de l'interface. Les systèmes de renforcement à fibres de lin sont donc capables de reprendre des efforts transmis par cisaillement de façon comparable aux matériaux de renfort à fibres de verre. Dans une deuxième partie des essais exploratoires de durabilité ont ensuite été menés pour vérifier la pérennité des propriétés de ces deux composites de renfort dans un environnement de service. Un vieillissement accéléré artificiel en enceinte climatique est mis en place tandis que des composites à fibres de lin stratifié au contact sont exposés pendant un an à l'environnement extérieur. Un second vieillissement hygrothermique à 70°C est mené pendant 4 semaines. Les dégradations des propriétés des composites à fibres de lin sont comparables à celles de certains composites de renfort à fibres de verre. Malgré la nature hydrophile des fibres de lin, les premiers essais ne montrent pas de dégradations des propriétés qui rendraient le composite impropre à une utilisation comme renfort extérieur de structures en béton / To extend their life and ensure the safety of users, concrete structures may need strengthening during their service life. The technique of strengthening by external bonding of composites carbon, glass or aramid composites using polymer that are cured at room temperature is widely used for its effectiveness and ease of implementation. Yet the uses of both synthetic fibers and polymer matrices have a significant environmental impact. The objective of this research is to examine the possibility of using flax fibers for the external strengthening of concrete structures. Their high specific mechanical properties and positive environmental balance make them an interesting alternative to the glass fibers. However, they also present a larger variability in properties, a non-linear tensile behavior and high sensitivity to humidity. The main objectives of this thesis involve the selection of the materials and the most suitable implementation, the evaluation of the materials’ performances and adherence to concrete support and a sustainability assessment of those properties. In a first experimental section, two methods of implementation of the flax fiber reinforcement are developed and characterized: by wet lay-up and by bonding of pre-hardened. Tomography observations confirm the good fiber impregnation and cohesion of the composites. The tensile tests show a bilinear tensile behavior as described in the literature, with stress per width at failure comparable to glass fibres strengthening systems. The characterization of composite/concrete interfaces is conducted by double overlap shear tests and confirms a good adhesion which results in concrete failure before the failure of the reinforcement system. The nature of the fibers does not appear to influence the shear behavior of the interface. For glass or flax wet lay-up systems, failure can occur with failure of the composite. Flax fiber reinforcement systems can take up the forces transmitted by shear in a manner comparable to glass composites. In the second part, sustainability tests were conducted to ensure the sustainability of the properties of these two composite reinforcements in a service environment. An artificial accelerated aging test in a climatic chamber is set up while wet lay-up flax fiber composites are exposed to the external environment during a year. A second hydrothermal aging test is conducted for 4 weeks at 70°C. The degradations of the properties of the flax composites are comparable to those of some glass reinforcement composites. Despite the hydrophilic nature of the flax fibers the first tests show no degradation of properties that would make the composite unsuitable for an external reinforcement of concrete structures

Předložená disertační práce se zabývá zesílením kruhových železobetonových sloupů pomocí vlákny vyztužených polymerů (tzv. FRP – fibre reinforced polymer) namáhaných laterálním cyklickým zatížením. Tato výzkumná studie se zaměřuje na zkoumání využití FRP tkaniny pro dodatečné zesílení, zlepšení chování kruhových železobetonových sloupů a vytvoření návrhového algoritmu pro zesílení kruhového sloupu pomocí kompozitních FRP materiálů. Návrhový algoritmus byl odvozen na základě analytické studie, numerických simulací a výsledků experimentální činnosti. Na základě těchto výsledků byl navržen postup pro návrh zesílení sloupů ovinutím, který předpovídá chování železobetonových sloupů vystavených laterálním cyklickým zatížením. Při experimentální práci byly zkušební vzorky zatíženy současně axiální sílou a příčným cyklickým zatížením. Toto bylo provedeno dvěma různými způsoby. První způsob zatěžování byl proveden konstantní velikostí laterální síly po daný počet cyklů (1 milion) se sledováním změny deformace. A druhý způsob provedení spočíval v zatížení konstantní deformací se sledováním úbytku síly během zatěžovací zkoušky. Dizertační práce rovněž předkládá přehled současného stavu poznání zesílení železobetonových kruhových sloupů ovinutím FRP tkaninou vystavených působení seismického zatížení. Dále uvádí přehled návrhových metodik a normová ustanovení Eurokódu a ACI. Experimentální program byl proveden za účelem ověření chování ovinutých kruhových sloupů při působení laterálního cyklického zatížení. Závěr práce sumarizuje poznatky o chování sloupů zesílených ovinutím FRP tkaninou při působení laterálního cyklického zatížení a představuje empirický model pro návrh zesílení ovinutím při vysokém a nízkém cyklickém zatížení.

Die Arbeit beschreibt die skalenübergreifende Modellierung und Simulation des Werkstoffverhaltens von Faser-Kunststoff-Verbunden mit textiler Verstärkungsstruktur, die ausgehend von den konstitutiven Eigenschaften der Verbundbestandteile (Mikroskala) und ihrer geometrischen Anordnung im Verbund (Mesoskala) die rechnerische Vorhersage des effektiven Materialverhaltens des Verbundes (Makroskala) ermöglicht. Neben Schädigungsprozessen beeinflusst insbesondere das dehnratenabhängige Materialverhalten der polymeren Matrix das mechanische Verhalten des Verbundes. Dieser Einfluss wird anhand verschiedener Glasfaser-Polypropylen-Verbunde numerisch untersucht. Ein viskoplastisches Materialmodell bildet dabei das nichtlineare Materialverhalten von Polypropylen ab. Die Modellierung der textilen Verstärkungsstruktur erfolgt durch Anwendung der erweiterten Finiten-Elemente-Methode (XFEM). Anhand des Vergleichs von rechnerisch und experimentell gewonnenen Ergebnissen erfolgt schließlich die Verifikation der vorgeschlagenen Modellierungsstrategie. / This contribution covers the trans-scale modelling and simulation of the mechanical behaviour of textile-reinforced polymers. Starting from the material properties of the individual constituents (micro-scale) and their geometrical arrangement (meso-scale), the effective material behaviour of the composite (macro-scale) is numerically predicted. In addition to damage processes, the inelastic deformation behaviour of the composite is influenced by the strain-rate dependent material behaviour of the polymeric matrix. This influence is numerically investigated for different glass-fibre-polypropylene composites. A viscoplastic material model accounts for the nonlinear mechanical behaviour of polypropylene. The complex textile reinforcement is modelled by the eXtended finite element method (XFEM). A comparison of computed and experimental results allows for the verification of the proposed modelling strategy.