Effect of Alkaline Environment on Mechanical Properties of Molded Composite Reinforcement

Abstract

Composite (FRP) reinforcement is used in the construction industry mainly because of its high resistance to aggressive environments. The production technology and design of straight FRP members is now very well understood. However, when designing concrete elements, it is usually necessary to adapt the reinforcement to the requirements of the construction and to design curved (bent) members. These then undergo structural changes in their cross-section during manufacture, which can have a major effect on their service life and load-bearing capacity. This paper describes the problem of degradation of shaped composite reinforcement in an aggressive alkaline environment and presents experimentally determined values of tensile strength.