ABSTRACT
A b s t r a c t A polymer m a t r i x f i b e r l a m i n a t e d composite r e i n f o r c i n g bar developed a t C o r n e l l U n i v e r s i t y has been i n v e s t i g a t e d as a p o s s i b l e s u b s t i t u t e f o r s t e e l r e i n f o r c e m e n t i n c o n c r e t e s t r u c t u r e s . The bar i s made from a composite l a m i n a t e d p a n e l comprised of t h r e e l a y e r s t o produce a r e c t a n g u l a r c r o s s s e c t i o n and w i t h an i n n o v a t i v e t y p e o f t r a n s v e r s e r i b s made from same composite m a t e r i a l s . Under t e n s i o n , t h e b ar expands between t h e r i b s , i n c r e a s i n g t h e bond s t r e n g t h when the bar i s embedded i n c o n c r e t e . P u l l - o u t t e s t s show t h a t the combination of f r i c t i o n a l bond and r i b s i n t e r l o c k produces a h i g h bond s t r e n g t h . P r e l i m i n a r y t e s t r e s u l t s of concrete beams r e i n f o r c e d w i t h LCR bars made of f i b e r g l a s s / e p o x y c o m p o s i t e s show e x c e l l e n t f l e x u r a l s t r e n g t h and c r a c k d i s t r i b u t i o n , b u t much l a r g e r d e f l e c t i o n s a t u l t i m a t e l o a d t h a n beams r e i n f o r c e d w i t h s t e e l . A s i m i l a r s i z e beam, p r e s t r e s s e d w i t h a s i n g l e LCR bar, p e r f o r m e d v e r y w e l l and had d e f l e c t i o n s about f i v e times l e s s . Keywords: Laminated composite r e i n f o r c e m e n t , n o n m e t a l l i c r e i n f o r c e m e n t , FRP r e i n f o r c e m e n t , bond, anchorage.
