Abstract:
The application of Glass fibre reinforcement bars (GFRP) has gained attraction within the civil engineering industry with its high tensile strength and corrosion resistance to harsh envi-ronments. A study of the existing research shows a need to investigate the performance and durability characteristics of headed GFRP bars. To achieve those objectives, the two exami-nation phases were conducted: 1) evaluating the durability characteristics of the polymers used in the fabrication of headed anchors after exposure to accelerated ageing conditions for periods varying from 0 to 90 days of exposure. 2) evaluation of the durability characteristics of headed GFRP bars through a pull-out testing setup to examine the bond behaviour of the specimens after exposure to accelerated ageing conditions for 30 days. 102 dog-bone samples were examined in the first phase, followed by an examination of 45 headed and 3 straight GFRP bars in the study's second phase. The evaluation study of the polymers showcased a slight change in the weight of the specimens after exposure to the Alkaline solution. The wa-ter absorption rate, specific gravity, constituents’ and void contents were reasonably constant across the different conditioning phases. The Grivory polymer recorded the highest tensile stress results of 187 MPa before exposure to the alkaline environment. The examination of the unconditioned-headed GFRP showcased an improvement in the pull-out capacity of the specimens compared to straight GFRP bars. The Grivory-headed bars recorded the highest bond capacity of 16.67 MPa. The exposure to the highly alkaline solutions resulted in a no-ticeable reduction in the performance of the dog-bone samples and the headed GFRP bars due to the hydrolysis of the polymers used to fabricate the specimens. The strength retention of the examined dog-bone samples and headed GFRP bars after exposure for 90 and 30 days ranged between 61-79% and 83-94% for each respective condition. Based on the evaluation of the experimental work and the cost analysis of the polymers, it was concluded that the Gri-vory polymer compositions showcased the best tensile capacity and good resistance to deteri-oration after exposure to an alkaline environment.
