Use of FRP in Hybrid and Composite

Construction
Presentation for Seminar
(DDI 905)

Submitted By
Danish Khan
0007CE11DD07
Integrated PG Program - IX Semester

Department of Civil Engineering

Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal

Outline
Introduction
Composition and Types of Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP)
Uses of FRP
FRP reinforced composite structures
Properties of FRP and Comparison with steel

Advantages and Disadvantages of FRP rebars

Design and Field Applications of FRP reinforcements
FRP in Hybrid Bridge Construction

FRP Deck Bridges

Hybrid Composite Bridge

Introduction
FRP has emerged as the material of 21st century
FRP is a combination of polymeric resin with embedded

fibres
The resulting material has several advantages

Three important advantages are light weight, high

tensile strength and corrosion resistance.

FRP has been successfully used to design innovative

structures around the world

FRP Composition
Polymer

Fibres

Polyester
Vinyl Ester
Phenolics

Glass Fibres
Aramid Fibres
Carbon Fibres

Fibre
Reinforced
Polymer (FRP)
GFRP
AFRP
CFRP

In addition, fillers and additives are used to impart desired characteristics

Uses of FRP

Repair and Retrofit using FRP

sheets
Application
areas

FRP reinforced composite

structures
Hybrid Bridge Structures

Repair and Retrofitting of Existing Structures

First application
of FRP in Civil
Engineering

FRP Sheets are

wrapped

externally using
epoxy or other
bonding material

As Internal Reinforcement of RC Structure

They are used

alternative to steel
reinforcement

FRP materials exhibit

several properties,
such as high tensile

strength, that make

them suitable for use
as structural
reinforcement

Properties of Various Types of FRPs

Property
Density (g/cm)

1.25-2.1

AFRP
1.25-1.40

Youngs Modulus (GPa)

35 to 51

41 to 125

120 to 580

483 to 1600

1720 to 2540

600 to 3690

1.2 to 3.1

1.9 to 4.4

.5 to 1.7

6 to 10
21 to 23
Least expensive

-6 to -2
60 to 80
Expensive

-4 to 0
41 to 58
Most Expensive

Ultimate Tensile Stress

(N/mm)
Ultimate Tensile Strain (%)
(Rupture strain)
Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion
1. Longitudinal ( 10-6 C)
2. Transverse ( 10-6 C)
Cost

GFRP

CFRP
1.5-1.6

Source : ACI 440.1R-06 Table 3.1 3.3

Comparison with steel bars

FRP bars are anisotropic hence property is different in
different direction
Property

7.90

Glass Fibre Reinforced

Concrete (GFRP)
1.25-2.1

Youngs Modulus (GPa)

200 to 210

35 to 51

Ultimate Tensile Stress

(N/mm)
Ultimate Tensile Strain (%)
(Rupture strain)
Coefficient of Thermal
Expansion
1. Longitudinal ( 10-6 C)
2. Transverse ( 10-6 C)

483 to 690

483 to 1600

6 to 12

1.2 to 3.1

11.7
11.7

6 to 10
21 to 23

Density (g/cm)

Steel

Source : ACI 440.1R-06 Table 3.1 3.3

Stress Strain Relation in Tension

3500
3000

Stress, N/mm

2500
2000

HYSD Steel Bars

GFRP Bars
AFRP Bars
CFRP Bars

1500
1000
500
0
0

4
Strain, %

Design of FRP reinforced concrete

Design is done similar to RCC with steel rebar
Working stress or limit states method can be adopted
The section can fail due to
Concrete Crushing
FRP Rupture
Balanced

Design for flexure

Advantages of FRP
High Strength and Lightweight
Corrosion Resistant
Low Thermal Conductivity
Nonconductive
Electromagnetically Transparent
Impact Resistant
Low Lifecycle costs

Resistance to corrosion
40% structural failure is due to corrosion of steel
reinforcement in concrete
FRP composites are neutral to chemicals that induce
corrosion.

Disadvantages of FRP
High Initial cost (compared to steel reinforcement)
Susceptibility to mechanical damage
Susceptibility to fire
Inability to bend in field
Longer overlap (lap) lengts
Poor shear strength
Lack of ductility

Bents and Stirrups

Various bents shapes are available
form suppliers.

Bents and stirrups are factory made,

field bending is not possible

Stirrups in slab and T-Beam in FRP reinforced concrete structures (Pultrall Inc.)

Cost Analysis
The cost is 500-600 per kg (transported from foreign) in
case of Glass FRP bar

Carbon FRP is usually more expensive.

The reason for high cost is

Better understanding of mechanical properties and bond

behavior is needed for design of FRP reinforced structures.
Field bends are not allowed, and not-weldable
Lack of familiarity by practicing engineers

Field Applications

Val-Alain Bridge Reinforcement of the bridge deck slab and

barrier walls, 2004
First bridge deck of Canada totally reinforced with GFRP

Field Applications

Continuous Reinforced Concrete Pavement with GFRP bars on

Highway 40 East-Montreal, 2006, a pioneer application of
GFRP bars

Field Applications

FRP parapet wall for Glendale Avenue Bridge, Niagara

Designed using ACI 318, ACI 440, and Canadian Highway

Hybrid Construction with FRP

This concept combines element of traditional materials (like
girders) with FRP composites

Most useful in bridge construction

Steel or concrete girders support FRP bridge deck
FRP deck provides great durability by providing easy
installation, light weight and potential resistance against
environmental and chemical damages

Uses FRP Pultruded Profiles

Hybrid FRP Bridge Applications

Footbridge over road no. 11 in Gdki, Poland
260m long bridge consists of FRP deck

Hybrid FRP Bridge Applications

Kings Stormwater Channel Bridge, California (201 m)

Side and close-up view of Kings Stormwater

Channel Bridge visualization [26]

Hybrid FRP Bridge Applications

Friedberg Bridge over B3 Highway, Germany (21.5 m span)
An innovative GFRP
composite bridge
Total weight is 80

tonnes
Consists of Two steel

beams covered by an
innovative multicellular
GRP deck profile

Hybrid Composite Bridge

A new and innovative technique
invented by John R. Hillman
The hybrid composite beam is a

single beam.
A composite of three materials steel, concrete, and FRP
The concrete in the shape of arch
carries compressive load
The FRP shell carries the shear
and bending moment internal to

the beam.

Composition

HCB Assembly without any reinforcement

HCB with compression reinforcement

Ease in Transportation

Placing at site

Placing of concrete

Completed HCB Bridge

Load Distribution

Advantages of Hybrid Composite Beams

Faster erection, resulting in less out of service time for highways
and railways.
Virtually No false work is required
Lightweight, allowing reuse of existing substructures
Resilient materials can improve seismic performance and fatigue
resistance.
Corrosion resistant materials result in better life cycle costs.
The design and construction is simple, hence no additional training

is required.
FRP shell is fabricated in factory and transported
90% lighter than corresponding concrete structure

Hybrid Composite Bridge in action

HCB were installed on a railroad test track near Pueblo,
Colorado in 2010
Successfully

supported a
heavily-loaded

train

FRP Suppliers
Following is the list of products and suppliers of GFRP products
Aslan-100 FRP Bars manufactured by Hughes Brothers
V-Rod FRP bars manufactured by Pultrall
NEFMAC FRP grids manufacture by Autocon Composites
SikaCarbodur , Sika www.sikaconstruction.com/

S&P, Clever Reinforcement Company, Switzerland

Replark System, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Sumitomo
Corporation of America, NY.

Tonen Corporation, Tokyo, Japan

Tyfo Fibrwrap System, Tyfo, San Diego, CA.

Conclusion
FRP is a futuristic construction material for RCC Structures
Most Important property is corrosion resistant as well as high

tensile strength
Awareness is required to increase widespread use of FRP

Cost of FRP is high, but if its production is at large scale it

will prove to be
There is much scope of innovation in techniques involving
FRP composites

References
1. ACI 440.1R - Guide for the Design and Construction of Structural Concrete

Reinforced with FRP Bars, first published in 2001 and latest revised is in 2015
2. fib Bulletin No. 40 - FRP reinforcement in RC structures, European State of

the Art report on use of FRP as reinforcement

3. CSA, 2002 - Design and Construction of Building Components with Fibre-

Reinforced Polymers, Canada

4. CSA, 2010 - Specification for Fibre-Reinforced Polymers, Canada
5. ISO 10406 - FRP reinforcement of concrete Test of bars, grids and sheets

6. JSCE, 1997 - Japanese society of Civil Engineering Code

7. Other relevant studies and findings

Thank You