Effect of different loading rates on the fracture behavior of FRP‐reinforced concrete

Abstract

AbstractIn order to study the effect of different loading rates on the fracture behavior of fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforced concrete, the fracture experiments of FRP‐reinforced concrete beams under different loading rates were carried out. The calculation method of fracture toughness was given by analytic deduction, and the effects of different loading rates on the fracture parameters were analyzed. The experimental results show that there are three critical points in the fracture process of FRP‐reinforced concrete beam, which are the crack initiation load, crack resistance load, and ultimate load points. The effective crack length at the crack resistance load point increases with the increase of loading rate, and the effective crack length at the ultimate load point does not vary as the loading rate. With the increase of loading rate, the elastic modulus and fracture toughness increase gradually, and there is a logarithmic relationship with the loading rate, which has obvious rate correlation. The fracture process zone (FPZ) length of FRP‐reinforced concrete beams gradually decreases with the increase of loading rate.