Influence of Impregnation Systems on the Structural Behavior of Carbon TRC I-Section Beams: Experimental Study
摘要
The application of Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) in the manufacturing of new structural elements has attracted considerable attention over the last decade. While carbon textiles exhibit high mechanical properties, these fibers present low bond with concrete due to their multifilamentary nature and hydrophobic surface. This inherent poor bond compromises the structural performance of TRC. The polymeric impregnation of the textiles has been widely employed to address such issues. Nevertheless, the resulting behavior varies significantly depending on the type of impregnation material. This study investigates the structural behavior of carbon TRC I-section beams with water-based epoxy (WBEP) and thermoplastic resin (THRM) coatings through four-point bending tests, aiming to contribute to the use of new alternative coatings in the structural application of TRC. The results are compared to a commercial solvent-based epoxy (EPXY)-impregnated textile. The findings show that the level of impregnation of the textiles, web-flange connection, textile orientation, and use of overlaps affect the structural performance of TRC I-section beams. The results indicate that despite a premature failure by shear, the WBEP coating imparted good overall structural behavior compared to the commercially available EPXY-impregnated textile, whereas the beam with the THRM coating presented inferior load-bearing capacity due to insufficient anchorage between the web-flange reinforcements.