Durability and structural performance of carbon fibre reinforced polymer – reinforced concrete parking garage slabs

Abstract

This paper presents a laboratory investigation on the durability and structural performance of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) – reinforced concrete (RC) slab specimens extracted from the Laurier-Taché Parking Garage (in the National Capital Region, Canada) after being subjected to service field conditions for about 8 years (1997–2005). The laboratory investigation comprised two phases. The first phase evaluated the durability of the CFRP bars, the concrete, and the interface between the two materials by conducting microstructural and chemical analyses on core samples extracted from the slabs. As part of this phase, five CFRP bar samples were extracted and tested in tension to investigate if the CFRP bars experienced any degradation in strength or stiffness. The second phase investigated the structural behaviour of the slabs by testing four slab segments (3.0 m long × 1.0 m wide × 0.2 m deep) in flexure. Test results showed that neither the CFRP bars nor the CFRP–RC slabs have been adversely affected after being in service for 8 years.