Experimental Study on the Performance of Circular Concrete Columns Reinforced with GFRP under Axial Load
Abstract
Corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete structures subjected to severe environments
is a big challenge and requires huge repair and maintenance costs. Glass fiber reinforced
polymer (GFRP) reinforcement with its corrosion resistance and good mechanical
properties is a promising solution to replace steel in such structures. This paper
investigates the efficiency of using GFRP bars and spirals in concrete columns instead
of conventional steel reinforcement. Five circular concrete columns of 230 mm diameter
and 1500 mm height reinforced with different types and ratios of reinforcement were
constructed and tested under concentric load. Test parameters included the type and ratio
of the longitudinal reinforcement. The results showed that the columns reinforced with
GFRP behaved in a similar way as the reference columns reinforced with steel, however,
they showed slightly lower nominal capacity. It was also found that increasing the GFRP
longitudinal reinforcement ratio enhanced the nominal capacity of the columns.