Investigation of the durability characteristics of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) materials in concrete environment

Commercially available fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) materials were used in this investigation. Accelerated laboratory tests were performed mostly on samples conditioned in simulated concrete pore solution to evaluate the long-term durability characteristics. Most glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) bars were tested after conditioning to evaluate the changes in tensile strength and stiffness with respect to the unconditioned samples, Mass uptake/absorption of alkaline solution and morphological changes of FRP specimens were also studied. The acceleration test regime used in this investigation can be used as a method for determining the durability characteristics of FRP materials in a concrete environment and for the selection of FRP products for demonstration projects before finalizing the design codes and specifications. A simple mass uptake measurement under accelerated test conditions can be used as a first-step screening procedure to eliminate poor-quality products from further testing.