An Investigation of Environmental Reduction Factor for GFRP Bar Used as Concrete Reinforcement in China

Currently, an environmental reduction factor (ERF) is incorporated in design codes/guidelines of Fiber Reinforced-Polymer (FRP) in reinforced concrete (RC) structures to account for the FRP long-term durability. Due to the lack of real time durability data, justification of the ERF is still necessitated. This paper presents a calibration of ERF for GFRP bar to be used in China on the basis of the prediction of GFRP long-term performance with monthly average temperature records from 32 major cities. Research results show that the ERF values vary from 0.49 to 0.58 at 100% R.H. exposure, while ERFs are greater than 0.70 for all cases being studied when R.H. is below 90%. On the basis of this study, ERF can be recommended as of 0.70 and 0.50 for application with R.H. <90% and moisture saturated exposures, respectively.