Pilot study of FRP-to-tubular steel behaviour.
Published: 2005
Language: eng
Number of pages: 153
Description: This thesis presents an extensive literature review of the use of Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP) in civil infrastructure, followed by an experimental investigation into the means of application---and the resulting structural behaviour---of FRP bonded to steel tubular members using a wet-layup method. The main focus was on the static flexural performance of steel-FRP composite beams, with principal experimental parameters being the fibre/epoxy manufacturer and the matrix curing conditions. Curing of test specimens was undertaken both in air and in (simulated) seawater, with the latter representing the conditions for offshore tubular structures. It was found that adequate bonding could be achieved with underwater application, with composite action being achieved between the steel and most of the FRP layers. However, composite members produced using underwater application did not attain the same flexural capacity as those cured "in air". Another aspect of the experimental research investigated the potential of repairing a plate-to-tube fillet-welded connection which had failed due to the propagation of fatigue cracks. The FRP repair procedure attempted was unsuccessful at extending the fatigue life of the cracked connection specimen. This was due to early debonding of the FRP repair material, since it was not loaded in the direction of the fibres. The inability of FRP epoxies to sustain any reasonable load out of the plane of the matrix was further confirmed by a series of secondary tests. Further research is thus still required to develop a repair procedure for such tube-to-baseplate connections.
Notes: Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-01, page: 0445.

Thesis (M.A.Sc.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

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