Determination of materials design values for the use of fibre-reinforced polymer composites in civil infrastructure

Abstract

Fibre-reinforced polymer composites used in civil infrastructure are significantly different in material form and process than the autoclave cure prepreg-based composites used in the aerospace and defence sectors and hence lack the substantial well-established materials database required for routine civil engineering design. This paper provides recommendations for the development of an approach within an overall methodology of partial reduction factors expressed as M_d = ϕM_k, which enables design with emerging materials that may not have databases sufficient for statistical determination of materials design values. The approach is such that it enables its future incorporation into a load and resistance factor design (LRFD) methodology using techniques of statistical analysis and reliability theory. The method enables the use of reduction factors for the purposes of design while allowing for the derivation of routine design parameters based on either incomplete data records, or records of other comparable but intrinsically different systems. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of the methodology in specific cases, and results are compared with well-known empirical factors used in conventional handbook-based design.

Keywords

fibre-reinforced composites reduction factor process cure variation durability damage tolerance

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

US Department of Defense

Polymer Matrix Composites Handbook, MIL-HDBK-17, Vols 1–3, 1997.

Puccini

Environmental Aspects in Composite Materials in Maritime Structures (Eds Shenoi

R.A.

Wellicome

J.F.

), Vol. 1, 1993, pp. 44–85 (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).

Gibbs and Cox Inc

Marine Design Manual for Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics, 1960 (McGraw-Hill, New York).

Karbhari

V. M.

Use of Composite Materials in Civil Infrastructure in Japan, WTEC Monograph, 1998 (International Technology Research Institute, National Science Foundation, Washington, DC).

American Wood Council

LRFD Manual for Engineered Wood Construction, 1996 (American Forest and Paper Association, Washington, DC).

Karbhari

V. M.

Seismic retrofitting and strengthening of columns with composite materials. In Proceedings of the International Conference on

Infrastructure Regeneration and Rehabilitation, Sheffield, July 1999, pp. 899–908 (Sheffield Academic Press, Sheffield).

Karbhari

V. M.

Rydin

R. W.

Impact characterization of RTM composites. II: Damage mechanisms and damage evolution in plain weaves

J. Mater. Sci., 1999, 34, 5641–5648.

Kanninen

M. F.

Rybicki

E. F.

Griffith

W. I.

Preliminary development of a fundamental analysis model for crack growth in a fiber reinforced composite material. In Proceedings of the Fourth Conference on

Composite Materials: Testing and Design, ASTM STP 617, 1977, pp. 53–69 (American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).

Lopez-Anido

GangaRao

H. V. S.

Troutman

Williams

Design and construction of short-span bridges with modular FRP composite decks. In Proceedings of the International Conference on

Composites in Infrastructure (ICCI ‘98), Tucson, Arizona, 1998, Vol. 1, pp. 705–714.

10.

Karbhari

V. M.

Seible

Hegemier

Zhao

Fiber reinforced composite decks for infrastructure renewal-results and issues. In Proceedings of the 1997 International Composites Exposition, Nashville, Tennessee, 1997, pp. 3C/1–3C/6.

11.

Krolewski

S. M.

Study of the application of automation to composites manufacture. Report MTL TR 89–47, US Army Laboratory Command, May 1989.

12.

Juska

Williams

Loup

Durability of GRP in a marine environment. Carderock Division Report, Naval Surface Warfare Center, 1997.

13.

Karbhari

V. M.

Seible

Durability and systems level design guidelines for the use of fiber reinforced composite reinforcement in civil infrastructure. In Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on

Non-Metallic (FRP) Reinforcement for Concrete Structures, 1997, Vol. 1, pp. 191–198.

14.

Zhang

Karbhari

V. M.

Effects of alkali environments on the durability of E-glass fiber composites for use in civil infrastructure. In Proceedings of the 14th Technical Conference of the American Society of Composites, Fairborn, Ohio, September 1999, pp. 12–19.

15.

Ton-That

T. M.

Benmokrane

Rahman

Robert

J. F.

Durability test of GFRP rod in alkaline environment. In Proceedings of the International Conference on

Infrastructure Regeneration and Rehabilitation, Sheffield, July 1999, pp. 553–566 (Sheffield Academic Press, Sheffield).

16.

Niu

M. C. Y.

Composite Airframe Structures, 1992, p. 390 (Conmilit Press, Hong Kong).

17.

Seible

Priestley

M. J. N.

Hegemier

G. A.

Innamorato

Seismic retrofit of RC columns with continuous carbon fiber jackets

ASCE J. Composites Constr., 1997, 1 (2), 40–52.

18.

Meier

Deuring

Meier

Schwegler

Strengthening of structures with CFRP laminates: Research and applications in Switzerland. In Proceedings of the First Conference on

Advanced Composite Materials in Bridges and Structures, Sherbrooke, Canada, 1992, pp. 243–251 (Canadian Society of Civil Engineering).

19.

Seim

Hörman

Karbhari

Seible

External FRP post-strengthening of scaled concrete slabs

ASCE J. Composites Constr., 2000 (in press).

20.

Karbhari

V. M.

Rehabilitation of concrete structures using fibre-reinforced composites. In Proceedings of the Second International RILEM-CSIRO-ACRA Conference (Eds Ho

D.W.S.

Godson

Collins

), Melbourne, Australia, September 1998, pp. 417–430 (International Union of Testing and Research Laboratories for Materials and Structures, Melbourne).

21.

Sika Structural Strengthening Systems Engineering Guidelines for Design and Application, 1999, Chapter 4, p. 26.