Papers by Keyword: Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer

Abstract: Direct pull-out tests were performed to evaluate the bond performance of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforcing bars in cement mortar. Specimens with different bar diameters and different grouted lengths (i.e., 5d, 10d and 15d, d is the diameter of bars) are prepared for the pull-out tests. For comparison, specimens with plain aluminium alloy bars (AAB) were tested as well. The result shows that the average bond stress between plain aluminium alloy bars and cement is much smaller than that between the deformed GFRP bars and cement; thin GFRP bars tended to have larger average bond stress; the shorter the grouted length, the smaller the maximum average bond stress. Only part of grouted length undertakes the bond stress and the length depends on the shear modulus of GFRP and the surrounding material.

Abstract: This paper presents development of tool wear prediction models in end milling of glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites. Adaptive network based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was employed to accurately predict the amount of tool wear as a function of spindle speed, feed rate and measured machining forces. End milling experiments were performed with K20 tungsten carbide end mill cutter under dry condition in order to gather all experimental data. Results show that ANFIS is capable of estimating tool wear with excellent accuracy in the highly nonlinear region of tool wear and the machining forces relationships. Statistical analyses of the two tool wear-machining force ANFIS models reveal that the tool wear-feed force relationship has better predictive capability compared to that of the tool wear-cutting force relationship.

Abstract: Strengthening concrete structure with E-glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) is gaining more popularity, mainly due to their superior mechanical properties. However, there is insufficient information on environmental durability of glass fiber reinforced polymer, especially in harsh environmental conditions combined with sustained load. In this paper, the durability of an E-glass/ composite material under freeze-thaw cycle either in an unstressed state or loaded in about 30% of the initial ultimate load are investigated. The residual tensile properties of the GFRP are studied after coupled action of freeze-thaw cycle and sustained load. The results indicate that the single action of freeze-thaw cycle reduces the ultimate tensile strength and strain of the GFRP, and the coupled action of sustained load and freeze-thaw cycle further reduces the ultimate strength and strain of the GFRP.