PERFORMANCE OF BAMBOO- AND GLASS-FIBRE-REINFORCED CONCRETE SLAB SUBJECTED TO STATIC AND CYCLIC LOADS

Abstract

In the construction field, mild steel is using as reinforcement in concrete, which can easily corrode and destroy the environment. So, the construction industries are focusing on alternate materials like natural and synthetic fibres for sustainability. In this study bamboo, glass-fibre bars were used as reinforcement and compared with a normal reinforced concrete slab subject to static and cyclic incremental loading conditions. According to this, the experimental studies were carried out on 9 slab elements of size 600 mm × 450 mm with different forms of reinforcement. The slab elements’ deflection, deformation, load-carrying capacity, stress, strain, crack patterns, stiffness and energy absorption were determined and compared. The ultimate load-carrying capacity of elements like conventional, GFRP and bamboo are 28.90 kN, 29.31 kN and 5.50 kN respectively; similarly, deflection 12.70 mm, 13.50 mm and 8.60 mm were found under static load. In the same way, the ultimate load-carrying capacities of the elements are 24.23 kN, 25.00 kN and 6.80 kN under cyclic loading conditions; deflections of 10.10 mm, 13.50 mm and 3.60 mm, respectively, on conventional, GFRP and bamboo elements. From the test results the stress, strain, energy absorptions were calculated and compared and the energy absorption of bamboo was 9.38% less than conventional and GFRP was 22.49 % higher than conventional elements. The study proved that GFRP material has a significant impact than conventional and bamboo elements and the bamboo reinforcement can be used in light-loading conditions.