Statistical analysis and theoretical predictions of the tensile-strength retention of glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars based on resin type

Abstract

This paper presents experimental investigation, statistical analysis, and theoretical predictions of tensile-strength retention of glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars, made with vinyl-ester, polyester, or epoxy resins. The durability of glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars was evaluated as a function of time of immersion in alkaline solution. The aging of the three glass fiber-reinforced polymer bar types consisted of immersion glass fiber-reinforced polymer bar samples in an alkaline solution (up to 5000 h) at different elevated exposure temperatures. Subsequently, the physical and tensile properties of the unconditioned bars were compared with that of the conditioned bars to assess the durability performance of the glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars. Microstructure of all of the glass fiber-reinforced polymer bar types was investigated with scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for both the conditioned and unconditioned cases, to qualitatively explain the experimental results and to assess changes and/or degradation in the glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars. In addition, the long-term performance of glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars was assessed considering the effect of service years, environmental humidity, and seasonal temperature fluctuations. The test results showed that the tensile strength of the glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars was affected by increased immersion time at higher temperatures and the reduction in tensile strength was statistically significantly dependent on the type of resin system. The prediction approach of the glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars based on the environmental reduction factor ( CE) after 200 years indicated that the CE values for vinyl-ester, epoxy, and polyester glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars can be conservatively recommended to 0.81, 0.75, and 0.71, respectively, for a moisture-saturated environment (relative humidity = 100%) and at 30℃. The polyester glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars experienced greater debonding at the fiber–resin interface than the vinyl-ester and epoxy glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars.