Recent developments in experimental and computational studies of hygrothermal effects on the bond between FRP and concrete

Abstract

The performance of fiber reinforced polymer externally bonded to concrete is greatly influenced by the environmental conditions to which it is exposed during service. Temperature and humidity are the two common environmental factors that alter the bond behavior of externally bonded fiber reinforced polymer. This paper reviews the experimental and computational approaches used to evaluate the hygrothermal effects—that is, the effect of temperature and humidity—on the durability of the fiber reinforced polymer–concrete bond, as well as on the bond’s performance under loading conditions. Some experimental testing conducted in the laboratory and in situ are critically reviewed and presented. Implemented approaches for improving bond performance under hygrothermal conditions and their modeling techniques are also presented. The paper concludes by discussing the review’s salient issues. The ongoing wide application of externally bonded fiber reinforced polymer creates opportunities for new research on improving and predicting the bond strength of fiber reinforced polymer concrete under hygrothermal conditions.