A novel advanced polymer composite/concrete structural element Available to Purchase

The paper discusses the use of a new advanced polymer composite material, and a modification of it, formed by pre-impregnating fibres with an epoxy polymer matrix; the composite materials are ideally suited for use in the civil engineering industry. These composite materials have been combined with concrete to form a novel structural system; these dissimilar materials have been utilised to their best structural advantage with concrete wholly in compression and the composite in tension. The illustrative structural systems are T-beams. Two beam types, of identical external geometry, were investigated: one had a free top surface exposed to the environment (beam a), whereas the other (beam b) had confined concrete. Three designs were made and tested to examine: (i) the buckling failure of the composite webs of beam type (a), (ii) the overall failure of a shear bond (a shear failure between the permanent shuttering and the concrete) beam type (a), and (iii) the overall failure of a shear bond beam type (b). The results indicate that the beams under type (i) test failed by buckling of the web followed by crushing of the concrete and buckling of the permanent glass fibre reinforced polymer composite shuttering. The beams under type (ii) test failed by crushing of the concrete and buckling of the permanent shuttering, and the beams under type (iii) test failed by local buckling of the glass fibre reinforced polymer composite cap confining the concrete and a failure that, on investigation, manifested itself as a tensile separation of the concrete within the cap. These type (b) beams have an improved ultimate strength and, overall, a more ductile response compared with the type (a) beams under type (ii) test.