Experimental and analytical studies of concrete slab reinforced with FRP molded grating

Corrosion of steel rebars in bridge decks which are faced to harsh conditions, is a common problem in construction industries due to the porosity of concrete. In this research, the behavior of one-way concrete slabs reinforced with Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) molded grating is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. In the analytical method, a closed-form solution for load-deflection behavior of a slab under four-point bending condition is developed by considering a concrete slab as an orthotropic plate and defining stiffness coefficients in principal directions. The available formulation for concrete reinforced with steel is expanded for concrete reinforced with GFRP molded grating to predict ultimate failure load. In finite element modeling, an exact nonlinear behavior of concrete along with a 3-D failure criterion for cracking and crushing are considered in order to estimate the ultimate failure load and the initial cracking load. Eight concrete slabs reinforced with steel and GFRP grating in various thicknesses are also tested to verify the results. The obtained results from the models and experiments are relatively satisfactory.

concrete slab;molded grating;FEM;analytical solution;experiment;