Fiber Reinforced Plastic: A Missing Persons Report

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Fiber Reinforced Plastic A Missing
Persons Report

• Investigated by
• Steve Milam and Pat Wilson
• May 9, 2000

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Missing Person

• Professor Samuel J. Rasmussen
• Missing Since 4/12/2000
• Last Seen in USC Structural Lab

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His Research

• Concrete Steel Reinforcing
• Corrosion
• Catastrophe

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Failure of Steel Rebar
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Failure of Steel Rebar
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How do we solve this problem?

• Alternatives
• Stainless Steel
• Epoxy Coated Steel
• Anonymous Tip
• Exhibit A

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Fiber Reinforced Plastic

• Resin impregnated fibers
• Standard diameters
• Ribbed and shaped like standard steel rebar

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Fiber Wrapping

• Fiberglass cloth
• Secured with two-part resin
• Tightly wrapped

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Steel Sleeves

• Evenly distribute forces
• Smaller diameter than wrapping
• Held on by tape

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Testing Procedure

• Specimen inserted in machine
• Clamped on both ends
• Tensile load appied until failure

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Failed Specimens

• Fibers fail in middle of bar
• Failure at an end
• shear from clamps

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Test Results

• Failure Load
• 1/2- 80 kN
• 5/8- 105 kN
• Modulus of Elasticity
• 1/2- 64 GPa
• 5/8- 58 GPa
• Univ. of Arkansas- 54 GPa
• Standard Steel- 200 GPa

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Elastic Performance
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Strengths vs. Weaknesses

• Corrosion Resistant
• 1/4 the weight of steel
• No magnetic field

• Lower yield strength
• 2.5 times more expensive than steel
• Low tolerance for shear

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Uses for FRP Rebar

• Not ideal for all applications
• Marine Environments
• Non-corrosive
• Added rebar to compensate for shear

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Uses for FRP Rebar
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Suspects

• Steel Manufacturers
• If you have any information, call
  1-800-2-FIND-US, operators are standing by.