Transverse shear properties of fiber reinforced polymer bars with different reinforced phases

Abstract

In this study, a total of 105 shear specimens of fiber reinforced polymer bars with different reinforced phases, including the glass fiber, the hybrid of carbon fiber with glass fiber, and the hybrid of steel wire with glass fiber, were prepared to systematically investigate their transverse shear properties. The surface configuration of specimens, the performance characteristics and distribution pattern of reinforced phase were mainly regarded as variables. The results showed the shear strengths of glass fiber reinforced polymer bar specimens increased from 247.9 MPa to 263.5 MPa as the rib depth changed from shallow ribs to deep ribs, and their ultimate strain decreased from 0.374 to 0.328 with the increase in rib spacing from 8 mm to 16 mm. The shear strengths of carbon/glass hybrid fiber reinforced polymer (C/G HFRP) bar specimens declined from 247.4 MPa to 226.3 MPa as the distribution pattern of carbon fiber changed from centralized distribution to dispersed distribution. The shear strength of C/G HFRP bars decreased from 256.5 MPa to 247.4 MPa as the ratio of glass fiber to carbon fiber ranged from 0:1 to 1:4, and increased from 138.7 MPa to 214.8 MPa for steel wire/glass HFRP bars as the volumetric fraction of steel wire replacing glass fiber increased from 0 to 33.3%. This indicated that the surface configuration of specimen, the distribution pattern of fiber, and the performance characteristics of reinforced phase have great effects on the ultimate strain and shear strength of FRP bars, respectively.