Concerns over steel corrosion in reinforced concrete bridges have driven worldwide interest in using non-metallic Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars as an alternative reinforcement. While research has investigated the general behavior of GFRP-reinforced concrete, its performance under cyclic loading is not well understood. This study contributes to addressing this gap by examining the cyclic behavior of six one-third scale concrete bridge piers, each reinforced with different configurations of steel or GFRP bars. The specimens were subjected to constant gravity and reversed quasi-static cyclic lateral loads. Their behavior was assessed across several performance metrics, including strength, stiffness, ductility, energy dissipation, and damage. The results show that a hybrid reinforcement system—using steel longitudinal bars with GFRP spirals—can deliver a ductile cyclic response, with post-peak performance comparable to or better than that of conventional steel-reinforced concrete. Piers reinforced entirely with GFRP longitudinal and transverse bars demonstrated a stable force-displacement response under cyclic loading, with minimal strength loss and residual displacement. However, these benefits were to some extent offset by lower initial stiffness and reduced energy dissipation.

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Quasi-static Cyclic Performance of Bridge Piers Reinforced with Steel or GFRP Bars

  • Cain Stratford,
  • Alessandro Palermo,
  • Ernesto Hernández

摘要

Concerns over steel corrosion in reinforced concrete bridges have driven worldwide interest in using non-metallic Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars as an alternative reinforcement. While research has investigated the general behavior of GFRP-reinforced concrete, its performance under cyclic loading is not well understood. This study contributes to addressing this gap by examining the cyclic behavior of six one-third scale concrete bridge piers, each reinforced with different configurations of steel or GFRP bars. The specimens were subjected to constant gravity and reversed quasi-static cyclic lateral loads. Their behavior was assessed across several performance metrics, including strength, stiffness, ductility, energy dissipation, and damage. The results show that a hybrid reinforcement system—using steel longitudinal bars with GFRP spirals—can deliver a ductile cyclic response, with post-peak performance comparable to or better than that of conventional steel-reinforced concrete. Piers reinforced entirely with GFRP longitudinal and transverse bars demonstrated a stable force-displacement response under cyclic loading, with minimal strength loss and residual displacement. However, these benefits were to some extent offset by lower initial stiffness and reduced energy dissipation.