Mechanical Behavior of High Strength Concrete Reinforced with GlassFiber Reinforced Polymer

Abstract

Effects of alkali resistant glass fiber reinforced polymer (AR-GFRP) with various proportions on the mechanical behavior of high strength concrete (HSC) were investigated on this study. Concrete mixtures were prepared with various proportions of AR-GFRP typically 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 by weight of cement. The mixtures were cast and tested for compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strengths in accordance to ASTM standards. The experimental results showed that the strengths increase as fiber percentage increases; the compressive strength increased from 57.85 to 66.6 MPa, the splitting tensile strength increased from 3.06 to 4.92 MPa, and the flexural strength increased from 4.84 to 7.27 MPa when fiber percentage increased from 0.0 to 1.2 respectively. In comparison with plain HSC control specimens that showed destructive sudden failure, the formation of cracks that led to failure in the specimens with AR-GFRP was gradual as the fiber percentage increases. Hence it can be concluded that the presence of fibers in the matrix has contributed towards prevent sudden crack formation and thus enhancing concrete ductility.