Mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for concrete bridge deck reinforcement

Durability of concrete bridge decks reinforced with conventional structural steel is a major concern in aggressive environments. To address this problem, there have been efforts, in recent years, to develop and evaluate alternatives to conventional steel. One alternative is fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite reinforcement. FRP composites have been used successfully in many industrial applications. This thesis investigates short-term mechanical properties of FRP rebars as reinforcement for concrete bridge decks and discusses results of extensive laboratory tests. Four test methods (tension, flexure, shear and bond) are developed and test protocols are proposed for adoption by AASHTO.