Analyzing the feasibility of reinforcing new and existing wooden structures is a valid problem, being the subject of numerous scientific papers. The paper presents the preliminary results of a study on reinforcing Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) panels with composite materials bonded to exterior surfaces using epoxy resin. Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) sheets, Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) sheets, and Ultra-High-Modulus (UHM) CFRP sheets were used as reinforcement. The variables in the analysis were the type of reinforcement and the number of reinforcement layers. The tests were carried out on small samples (45 × 45 × 900 mm) subjected to the so-called four-point bending test. Reinforcement positively affected the mechanical properties of composite section. The highest increases in load bearing were 37 and 48% for two layers of GFRP and CFRP, respectively. The bending stiffness increased up to 53 and 62% for two layers of CFRP and UHM CFRP, respectively. There was a change in failure mode from cracking in the tension zone for unreinforced beams to veneer shear in the support zone (for CFRP and GFRP sheets) and sheet rupture (UHM CFRP). Good agreement was obtained for estimating bending stiffness with the presented numerical and mathematical model; the relative error was up to 6% for CFRP and GFRP and up to 20% for UHM CFRP. This preliminary study proved the effectiveness of combining LVL with FRP sheets and indicated their weak spots, which should be further analyzed to improve their competitiveness against the traditional structures. The key limitation was the shear strength of LVL.
{"title":"Strengthening of Laminated Veneer Lumber Slabs with Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Sheets—Preliminary Study","authors":"M. Bakalarz, P. Kossakowski","doi":"10.3390/fib12030022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12030022","url":null,"abstract":"Analyzing the feasibility of reinforcing new and existing wooden structures is a valid problem, being the subject of numerous scientific papers. The paper presents the preliminary results of a study on reinforcing Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) panels with composite materials bonded to exterior surfaces using epoxy resin. Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) sheets, Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) sheets, and Ultra-High-Modulus (UHM) CFRP sheets were used as reinforcement. The variables in the analysis were the type of reinforcement and the number of reinforcement layers. The tests were carried out on small samples (45 × 45 × 900 mm) subjected to the so-called four-point bending test. Reinforcement positively affected the mechanical properties of composite section. The highest increases in load bearing were 37 and 48% for two layers of GFRP and CFRP, respectively. The bending stiffness increased up to 53 and 62% for two layers of CFRP and UHM CFRP, respectively. There was a change in failure mode from cracking in the tension zone for unreinforced beams to veneer shear in the support zone (for CFRP and GFRP sheets) and sheet rupture (UHM CFRP). Good agreement was obtained for estimating bending stiffness with the presented numerical and mathematical model; the relative error was up to 6% for CFRP and GFRP and up to 20% for UHM CFRP. This preliminary study proved the effectiveness of combining LVL with FRP sheets and indicated their weak spots, which should be further analyzed to improve their competitiveness against the traditional structures. The key limitation was the shear strength of LVL.","PeriodicalId":503983,"journal":{"name":"Fibers","volume":"31 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140420621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Biofibres’ wide application in mortar enhancement has thus far been restricted by factors related to their chemical composition and hygroscopic nature. Their hydrophilic behaviour increases the water demand of mortar mixtures and diminishes their affinity to the matrix, while further moisture-related fibre degradation issues may arise. Additionally, natural fibres seem to be susceptible to degradation caused by exposure to alkaline environmental conditions such as those experienced by cement mortars, restricting their utilisation in the construction industry. Therefore, the current study investigates the potential of fibre modification through treatments that would permanently alter their structure and chemical composition to improve their performance. In this study, wood fibres of black pine and beech species were exposed to mild thermal treatment (140 °C 2 h, under a steam atmosphere), characterised in terms of the physical and chemical properties and incorporated in cement mortars, applying the proportion of 1.5% v/v in the mortar, in order to assess their performance as reinforcement material. The mortars’ workability (at a fresh state) was examined, as well as other physical, hygroscopic, thermal, and mechanical characteristics of the mortars at the ages of 28, 90 and 365 days and weathering performance, by subjecting them to different artificial ageing environments (freeze–thaw cycles or outdoor exposure). The results revealed the beneficial role of the treated fibres in dimensional stability, flexural strength, thermal insulation properties and capillary absorption of the mortar specimens, especially during the ageing process, with the black pine fibres showing the greatest improvement. The hydrothermally treated wood fibres seem to help maintain the integrity of cement mortars under all ageing conditions, proving that they could provide low-cost and eco-friendly mortar enhancement pathways.
{"title":"Evaluation of Hydrothermally Treated Wood Fibre Performance in Cement Mortars","authors":"P. Kampragkou, V. Kamperidou, Maria Stefanidou","doi":"10.3390/fib12030021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12030021","url":null,"abstract":"Biofibres’ wide application in mortar enhancement has thus far been restricted by factors related to their chemical composition and hygroscopic nature. Their hydrophilic behaviour increases the water demand of mortar mixtures and diminishes their affinity to the matrix, while further moisture-related fibre degradation issues may arise. Additionally, natural fibres seem to be susceptible to degradation caused by exposure to alkaline environmental conditions such as those experienced by cement mortars, restricting their utilisation in the construction industry. Therefore, the current study investigates the potential of fibre modification through treatments that would permanently alter their structure and chemical composition to improve their performance. In this study, wood fibres of black pine and beech species were exposed to mild thermal treatment (140 °C 2 h, under a steam atmosphere), characterised in terms of the physical and chemical properties and incorporated in cement mortars, applying the proportion of 1.5% v/v in the mortar, in order to assess their performance as reinforcement material. The mortars’ workability (at a fresh state) was examined, as well as other physical, hygroscopic, thermal, and mechanical characteristics of the mortars at the ages of 28, 90 and 365 days and weathering performance, by subjecting them to different artificial ageing environments (freeze–thaw cycles or outdoor exposure). The results revealed the beneficial role of the treated fibres in dimensional stability, flexural strength, thermal insulation properties and capillary absorption of the mortar specimens, especially during the ageing process, with the black pine fibres showing the greatest improvement. The hydrothermally treated wood fibres seem to help maintain the integrity of cement mortars under all ageing conditions, proving that they could provide low-cost and eco-friendly mortar enhancement pathways.","PeriodicalId":503983,"journal":{"name":"Fibers","volume":"19 26","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140430122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daiva Mikucioniene, J. Kazlauskaite, Inga Matulytė, Brigita Petkuviene, G. Laureckienė, M. Marksa, Jurga Bernatonienė
Double-layered textile sweat-absorbing underarm pads with a natural antimicrobial treatment can be used to solve the problem of the wetness sensation in the case of increased physical activity or hyperhidrosis. In addition, changeable antimicrobial active underarm pads help to decrease the number of clothing washings, i.e., reducing water consumption and pollution. Another aspect of sustainability is that the underarm pads can be produced from clothing production waste. The moisture absorption capability of six hydrophilic cellulose-based knitted fabrics and two hydrophobic synthetic woven fabrics was investigated. It was found that the best result for next-to-skin moisture absorption and next-to-clothing protection against moisture penetration was achieved by using a double-layered underarm pad composed of a cotton-based fleece knitted structure in the next-to-skin layer and a very thin and tight 100% PA woven fabric in the outer layer. Four samples of impregnated liquid with herbal extracts and essential oils were prepared, and antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the discus method. Textile impregnated with tea tree essential oil, nutmeg, and birch extracts had the highest antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria—Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Bacillus cereus.
经过天然抗菌处理的双层纺织吸汗腋垫可用于解决运动量增加或多汗症患者的湿感问题。此外,可更换的抗菌活性腋垫还有助于减少衣物清洗次数,即减少用水量和污染。可持续发展的另一个方面是,腋垫可以利用服装生产废料生产。研究了六种亲水性纤维素针织物和两种疏水性合成纤维机织物的吸湿能力。结果发现,使用双层腋下衬垫能达到最佳的贴身吸湿和贴身衣物防潮效果,这种衬垫的贴身层是棉基羊毛针织结构,外层是非常薄且紧密的 100% PA 机织物。制备了四种含草药提取物和精油的浸渍液样品,并采用碟片法评估了抗菌活性。浸渍了茶树精油、肉豆蔻和桦树提取物的织物对革兰氏阳性菌--金黄色葡萄球菌、表皮葡萄球菌和蜡样芽孢杆菌的抗菌活性最高。
{"title":"Sustainable Approach to Development of Antimicrobial Textile Pads for Sweat Absorption","authors":"Daiva Mikucioniene, J. Kazlauskaite, Inga Matulytė, Brigita Petkuviene, G. Laureckienė, M. Marksa, Jurga Bernatonienė","doi":"10.3390/fib12030020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12030020","url":null,"abstract":"Double-layered textile sweat-absorbing underarm pads with a natural antimicrobial treatment can be used to solve the problem of the wetness sensation in the case of increased physical activity or hyperhidrosis. In addition, changeable antimicrobial active underarm pads help to decrease the number of clothing washings, i.e., reducing water consumption and pollution. Another aspect of sustainability is that the underarm pads can be produced from clothing production waste. The moisture absorption capability of six hydrophilic cellulose-based knitted fabrics and two hydrophobic synthetic woven fabrics was investigated. It was found that the best result for next-to-skin moisture absorption and next-to-clothing protection against moisture penetration was achieved by using a double-layered underarm pad composed of a cotton-based fleece knitted structure in the next-to-skin layer and a very thin and tight 100% PA woven fabric in the outer layer. Four samples of impregnated liquid with herbal extracts and essential oils were prepared, and antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the discus method. Textile impregnated with tea tree essential oil, nutmeg, and birch extracts had the highest antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria—Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Bacillus cereus.","PeriodicalId":503983,"journal":{"name":"Fibers","volume":"19 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140437569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ana Karen Graciano Alvarez, Marius Dotter, Khorolsuren Tuvshinbayar, Laila Bondzio, I. Ennen, Andreas Hütten, T. Błachowicz, Andrea Ehrmann
Magnetic nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning polymer/metal solutions of poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) with magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. At a mass ratio of PAN:magnetite of 2:1, the total solid content in the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution was varied between 15 wt.% and 25 wt.%, which represents the limits of the spinnable range. The results show that the most homogeneous nanofiber mats were 21 wt.% solid contents. At 15 wt.% solid contents, a nano-membrane with some fibrous regions was produced. Nanofibers at 25 wt.% had a much larger and more inhomogeneous diameter. Nevertheless, the magnetic properties of all samples were very similar, indicating that the distribution of magnetite nanoparticles in the fibers is comparable in all samples. The results also suggested that the samples spun from solutions with near-ideal solid contents (19–21 wt.%) contain agglomerations of the nanoparticles inside the nanofibers.
{"title":"Electrospinning Poly(acrylonitrile) Containing Magnetite Nanoparticles: Influence of Magnetite Contents","authors":"Ana Karen Graciano Alvarez, Marius Dotter, Khorolsuren Tuvshinbayar, Laila Bondzio, I. Ennen, Andreas Hütten, T. Błachowicz, Andrea Ehrmann","doi":"10.3390/fib12030019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12030019","url":null,"abstract":"Magnetic nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning polymer/metal solutions of poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) with magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. At a mass ratio of PAN:magnetite of 2:1, the total solid content in the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution was varied between 15 wt.% and 25 wt.%, which represents the limits of the spinnable range. The results show that the most homogeneous nanofiber mats were 21 wt.% solid contents. At 15 wt.% solid contents, a nano-membrane with some fibrous regions was produced. Nanofibers at 25 wt.% had a much larger and more inhomogeneous diameter. Nevertheless, the magnetic properties of all samples were very similar, indicating that the distribution of magnetite nanoparticles in the fibers is comparable in all samples. The results also suggested that the samples spun from solutions with near-ideal solid contents (19–21 wt.%) contain agglomerations of the nanoparticles inside the nanofibers.","PeriodicalId":503983,"journal":{"name":"Fibers","volume":"115 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140443711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mousa Shhabat, Ahmed Ashteyat, Mu’tasim Abdel-Jaber
This research was conducted to investigate, experimentally, theoretically, and numerically, the use of CFRP materials for repairing a reinforced concrete one-way solid slab exposed to thermal shock. Nine slabs, measuring 1800 mm in length, 500 mm in width, and 100 mm in depth, were cast. Seven of these slabs underwent thermal shock at a temperature of 600 °C, rapidly cooled by immersion in water for 15 min. Three primary parameters were examined: the type of CFRP (rope, strip, and sheet), spacing (100 and 200 mm), and the number of sheet layers (one and two). The experimental results revealed a significant decrease of approximately 45.4% in the compressive strength of the concrete after exposure to thermal shock. The thermally shocked RC slab showed a reduction in ultimate capacity by 15.4% and 38.5% in stiffness compared to the control slab. The results underscored the efficacy of CFRP materials, with all repair configurations exhibiting a substantial increase in maximum load capacity and stiffness. Capacity enhancement ranged from 23.7% to 53.4%, while stiffness improvement ranged from 27.6% to 57.1%. Notably, all repair configurations effectively minimized the maximum deflection. This reduction in deflection ranged from 5.2% to 26% compared to the control slab. Numerical results demonstrated strong concurrence with experimental results for both capacity and deflection. The enhancement in capacity ranged from 0.7% to 10.4%, while deflection decreased within a range from 0.95% to 14.16% compared to experimental results.
{"title":"Repairing of One-Way Solid Slab Exposed to Thermal Shock Using CFRP: Experimental and Analytical Study","authors":"Mousa Shhabat, Ahmed Ashteyat, Mu’tasim Abdel-Jaber","doi":"10.3390/fib12020018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12020018","url":null,"abstract":"This research was conducted to investigate, experimentally, theoretically, and numerically, the use of CFRP materials for repairing a reinforced concrete one-way solid slab exposed to thermal shock. Nine slabs, measuring 1800 mm in length, 500 mm in width, and 100 mm in depth, were cast. Seven of these slabs underwent thermal shock at a temperature of 600 °C, rapidly cooled by immersion in water for 15 min. Three primary parameters were examined: the type of CFRP (rope, strip, and sheet), spacing (100 and 200 mm), and the number of sheet layers (one and two). The experimental results revealed a significant decrease of approximately 45.4% in the compressive strength of the concrete after exposure to thermal shock. The thermally shocked RC slab showed a reduction in ultimate capacity by 15.4% and 38.5% in stiffness compared to the control slab. The results underscored the efficacy of CFRP materials, with all repair configurations exhibiting a substantial increase in maximum load capacity and stiffness. Capacity enhancement ranged from 23.7% to 53.4%, while stiffness improvement ranged from 27.6% to 57.1%. Notably, all repair configurations effectively minimized the maximum deflection. This reduction in deflection ranged from 5.2% to 26% compared to the control slab. Numerical results demonstrated strong concurrence with experimental results for both capacity and deflection. The enhancement in capacity ranged from 0.7% to 10.4%, while deflection decreased within a range from 0.95% to 14.16% compared to experimental results.","PeriodicalId":503983,"journal":{"name":"Fibers","volume":"218 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140449727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jamal M. Khatib, R. Ramadan, H. Ghanem, A. Elkordi
In this research, the investigation focuses on the influence of Phragmites-Australis (PA) fibers on the mechanical properties and volume stability of mortar. A total of four mixtures were employed with varying amounts of locally sourced PA fibers ranging from 0.5% to 2% (by volume). Testing includes flexural strength, compressive strength, chemical shrinkage, drying shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, and expansion. The findings show that the use of PA fibers caused a reduction in compressive and flexural strength. However, beyond 3 days of curing, an increase in flexural strength ranging from 7 to 21% was observed at 1% PA fiber compared to the control sample. Furthermore, the addition of PA fibers up to 2% effectively mitigates the dimensional stability of mortar samples. A gradual decrease in chemical, autogenous, and drying shrinkage as well as expansion occurs in mortar samples when % of PA fibers increases. At 180 days, this reduction was 37, 19, 15 and 20% in chemical shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, drying shrinkage, and expansion, respectively, for a mix containing 2% PA fiber. Additionally, a hyperbolic model is proposed to predict the variation of length change with time. Also, a strong relationship is observed between chemical shrinkage and other length change parameters. Consequently, the environmentally friendly utilization of PA fibers demonstrates its potential to significantly enhance mortar durability in construction applications.
在这项研究中,调查的重点是木葭纤维(PA)对砂浆机械性能和体积稳定性的影响。共使用了四种混合物,其中本地采购的 PA 纤维含量从 0.5% 到 2%(按体积计算)不等。测试包括抗折强度、抗压强度、化学收缩、干燥收缩、自生收缩和膨胀。结果表明,使用 PA 纤维会导致抗压和抗折强度降低。然而,固化 3 天后,与对照样品相比,1% PA 纤维的抗折强度增加了 7% 至 21%。此外,添加 2% 的 PA 纤维可有效缓解灰泥样品的尺寸稳定性。当 PA 纤维的添加量增加时,砂浆样品的化学收缩、自生收缩和干燥收缩以及膨胀率都会逐渐降低。在 180 天时,含有 2% PA 纤维的混合物的化学收缩、自生收缩、干燥收缩和膨胀率分别降低了 37%、19%、15% 和 20%。此外,还提出了一个双曲线模型来预测长度变化随时间的变化。此外,还观察到化学收缩与其他长度变化参数之间存在密切关系。因此,环保型 PA 纤维的使用证明了其在建筑应用中显著提高砂浆耐久性的潜力。
{"title":"Effect of Adding Phragmites-Australis Fiber on the Mechanical Properties and Volume Stability of Mortar","authors":"Jamal M. Khatib, R. Ramadan, H. Ghanem, A. Elkordi","doi":"10.3390/fib12020014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12020014","url":null,"abstract":"In this research, the investigation focuses on the influence of Phragmites-Australis (PA) fibers on the mechanical properties and volume stability of mortar. A total of four mixtures were employed with varying amounts of locally sourced PA fibers ranging from 0.5% to 2% (by volume). Testing includes flexural strength, compressive strength, chemical shrinkage, drying shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, and expansion. The findings show that the use of PA fibers caused a reduction in compressive and flexural strength. However, beyond 3 days of curing, an increase in flexural strength ranging from 7 to 21% was observed at 1% PA fiber compared to the control sample. Furthermore, the addition of PA fibers up to 2% effectively mitigates the dimensional stability of mortar samples. A gradual decrease in chemical, autogenous, and drying shrinkage as well as expansion occurs in mortar samples when % of PA fibers increases. At 180 days, this reduction was 37, 19, 15 and 20% in chemical shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, drying shrinkage, and expansion, respectively, for a mix containing 2% PA fiber. Additionally, a hyperbolic model is proposed to predict the variation of length change with time. Also, a strong relationship is observed between chemical shrinkage and other length change parameters. Consequently, the environmentally friendly utilization of PA fibers demonstrates its potential to significantly enhance mortar durability in construction applications.","PeriodicalId":503983,"journal":{"name":"Fibers","volume":"83 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140481457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The utilization and incorporation of glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRP) in structural applications and architectural constructions are progressively gaining prominence. Therefore, this paper experimentally and numerically investigates the use of GFRP I-beams in conjunction with concrete slabs to form composite beams. The experimental design incorporated 2600 mm long GFRP I-beams which were connected compositely to concrete slabs with a 500 mm width and 80 mm thickness. The concrete slabs are categorized into two groups: concrete slabs cast using normal-strength concrete (NSC), and concrete slabs prepared using high-strength concrete (HSC). Various parameters like the type of concrete (normal and high-strength concrete), type of stiffeners bonded to the composite section (bolt–epoxy or bolt only), and inclusion of corrugated metal sheets were investigated. To obtain the full shear connection between the GFRP I-sections and concrete slabs, two rows of shear connectors in the form of bolts were utilized. These shear connectors were erected to the top flange of the GFRP I-sections to compositely connect between the GFRP I-beams and the concrete slabs as well as the corrugated metal sheets. The strengthening of the shear webs of GFRP I-beams with GFRP T-section stiffeners resulted in an enhancement in the flexural and shear strength. The failure loads in the case of the bolt–epoxy connection for the stiffeners were 8.2% and 10.0% higher than those in the case of bolt only when the concrete compressive strengths were 20.1 MPa and 52.3 MPa, respectively. Moreover, the effect of the concrete compressive strength was vital where the failure loads increased by 79.9% and 77.1% when HSC was used instead of NSC for the cases of bolt–epoxy and bolt only, respectively. The epoxy adhesive used in conjunction with mechanical connectors, specifically bolts, resulted in sufficient composite action and delayed shear failure within the web of the GFRP beam. For the specimens with bolt–epoxy connection, strain levels in the concrete slabs were consistently higher than in the other specimens with bolts alone at the same loading level. The concrete slabs integrated with HSC registered strain levels that were 20.0% and 21.8% greater for bolt–epoxy and bolt-only connections, respectively, when compared to those using normal-strength concrete (NSC). This discrepancy can likely be credited to the enhanced composite interaction between the concrete slabs and the GFRP I-beams. In addition, ABAQUS software (version 6.2) was used to develop FE models to analyze the tested composite beams and provide a parametric study using the verified models.
{"title":"Flexural Behavior of Pultruded GFRP–Concrete Composite Beams Strengthened with GFRP Stiffeners","authors":"Muataz I. Ali, A. Allawi, Ayman El-Zohairy","doi":"10.3390/fib12010007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12010007","url":null,"abstract":"The utilization and incorporation of glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRP) in structural applications and architectural constructions are progressively gaining prominence. Therefore, this paper experimentally and numerically investigates the use of GFRP I-beams in conjunction with concrete slabs to form composite beams. The experimental design incorporated 2600 mm long GFRP I-beams which were connected compositely to concrete slabs with a 500 mm width and 80 mm thickness. The concrete slabs are categorized into two groups: concrete slabs cast using normal-strength concrete (NSC), and concrete slabs prepared using high-strength concrete (HSC). Various parameters like the type of concrete (normal and high-strength concrete), type of stiffeners bonded to the composite section (bolt–epoxy or bolt only), and inclusion of corrugated metal sheets were investigated. To obtain the full shear connection between the GFRP I-sections and concrete slabs, two rows of shear connectors in the form of bolts were utilized. These shear connectors were erected to the top flange of the GFRP I-sections to compositely connect between the GFRP I-beams and the concrete slabs as well as the corrugated metal sheets. The strengthening of the shear webs of GFRP I-beams with GFRP T-section stiffeners resulted in an enhancement in the flexural and shear strength. The failure loads in the case of the bolt–epoxy connection for the stiffeners were 8.2% and 10.0% higher than those in the case of bolt only when the concrete compressive strengths were 20.1 MPa and 52.3 MPa, respectively. Moreover, the effect of the concrete compressive strength was vital where the failure loads increased by 79.9% and 77.1% when HSC was used instead of NSC for the cases of bolt–epoxy and bolt only, respectively. The epoxy adhesive used in conjunction with mechanical connectors, specifically bolts, resulted in sufficient composite action and delayed shear failure within the web of the GFRP beam. For the specimens with bolt–epoxy connection, strain levels in the concrete slabs were consistently higher than in the other specimens with bolts alone at the same loading level. The concrete slabs integrated with HSC registered strain levels that were 20.0% and 21.8% greater for bolt–epoxy and bolt-only connections, respectively, when compared to those using normal-strength concrete (NSC). This discrepancy can likely be credited to the enhanced composite interaction between the concrete slabs and the GFRP I-beams. In addition, ABAQUS software (version 6.2) was used to develop FE models to analyze the tested composite beams and provide a parametric study using the verified models.","PeriodicalId":503983,"journal":{"name":"Fibers","volume":"50 30","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139441981","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ismael Barrera-Fajardo, Oswaldo Rivero-Romero, J. Unfried-Silgado
In this work, the adhesion behavior of chemically treated banana and coir Colombian fibers embedded in polylactic acid (PLA) and unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) matrices was investigated. Both types of fibers were treated with a 5 wt.% sodium hydroxide solution for one hour. The properties of treated and untreated fibers were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile tests. To evaluate the adhesion behavior of the fibers in PLA and UPR matrices, pull-out tests were performed, and the percentage of broken fibers was determined. The results showed that alkaline treatment improved the fibers’ physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal properties. In addition, the alkaline treatment was able to improve the adhesion behavior of coir and banana fibers to PLA and UPR matrices. The banana fibers showed a percentage of broken fibers of 100%, while the coir fibers showed a slight increase in IFSS value. This behavior is attributed to the improvement in surface roughness due to the removal of non-cellulosic composites and impurities.
{"title":"Investigation of the Effect of Chemical Treatment on the Properties of Colombian Banana and Coir Fibers and Their Adhesion Behavior on Polylactic Acid and Unsaturated Polyester Matrices","authors":"Ismael Barrera-Fajardo, Oswaldo Rivero-Romero, J. Unfried-Silgado","doi":"10.3390/fib12010006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12010006","url":null,"abstract":"In this work, the adhesion behavior of chemically treated banana and coir Colombian fibers embedded in polylactic acid (PLA) and unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) matrices was investigated. Both types of fibers were treated with a 5 wt.% sodium hydroxide solution for one hour. The properties of treated and untreated fibers were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile tests. To evaluate the adhesion behavior of the fibers in PLA and UPR matrices, pull-out tests were performed, and the percentage of broken fibers was determined. The results showed that alkaline treatment improved the fibers’ physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal properties. In addition, the alkaline treatment was able to improve the adhesion behavior of coir and banana fibers to PLA and UPR matrices. The banana fibers showed a percentage of broken fibers of 100%, while the coir fibers showed a slight increase in IFSS value. This behavior is attributed to the improvement in surface roughness due to the removal of non-cellulosic composites and impurities.","PeriodicalId":503983,"journal":{"name":"Fibers","volume":"20 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139389415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}