Strengthening Competition Using Fiber-

Reinforced Polymer(FRP) Composites

Professor : Dongkeun Lee

Student : Po-Yi Hou

Student ID : 0851234
1. Research Question
Wood beams with dimensions of 5*5*60 cm will be strengthened using glass
FRP(GFRP) sheets. Each student will receive a GFRP sheet with dimensions of
5*0.2*100 cm. Students need to effectively strengthen the wood beam on December
27. The beam strengthened with GFRP sheets will be tested under four-point bending
in the laboratory on January 3rd.

2. Method
2.1. Materials
2.1.1. Wood Beam
wood beam properties
Janka hardness : 3570 N
Modulus of rupture : 87.7 MPa
Crushing strength : 48.8 MPa

2.1.2. Glass FRP Sheets

FRPs using glass fibers are the predominant reinforcing fiber in all FRPs. E-glass is the
most commonly used fiber. It has high electrical insulating properties, good heat
resistance, and has the lowest cost. S-Glass fibers have higher heat resistance and
about one-third higher tensile strength than E-glass. The specialty AR-glass fibers are
resistant to the alkaline environment found in concrete but have much higher cost.

2.2. Research Design

This is my wood beam, and I glued
GFRP on the bottom side and both
lateral sides of wood beam.
Specifying the orientation of
reinforcing fibers can increase the
strength and resistance to deformation of the polymer. Glass reinforced polymers are
stronger and more resistive to deforming forces when the polymers fibers are parallel
to the force being exerted, and are weakest when the fibers are perpendicular.

orientation of reinforcing fibers

2.2.1. Bottom Side
The bottom side of wood
beam was glued by a 4*30
cm glass FRP sheet. The
Area of the bottom side of
wood beam is 120 cm
square. Reinforcing fibers can
resist bending.

2.2.2. Lateral Side 1

The lateral side 1 of wood orientation of reinforcing fibers
beam was glued by three
4*5 cm glass FRP sheets.
One ply of GFRP was glued
on the middle of wood
beam, and other two plies
were glued on supports of
wood beam. The Area of
the bottom side of wood
beam is 60 cm square.
Reinforcing fibers can
resist shear force.

2.2.3. Lateral Side 2

The lateral side 2 of wood orientation of reinforcing fibers
beam was glued by two
4*5 cm glass FRP sheets.
Two plies were glued on
supports of wood beam.
The Area of the bottom
side of wood beam is 40
cm square.
Reinforcing fibers can resist
shear force.

2.2.4. Total Area of GFRP Sheets

Total area of GFRP sheets are 220 cm square.

2.3. Test with UTM

2.3.1. Universal Testing Machine (UTM)
A universal testing machine (UTM), also known as a universal tester, materials testing
machine or materials test frame, is used to test the tensile strength and compressive
strength of materials.

2.3.2. Test
The beam strengthened with GFRP sheets was tested under four-point bending in the
laboratory. Figure.1 show the beam strengthened with GFRP sheets before applied
load. Figure.2 show the beam strengthened with GFRP sheets after applied load.

Figure.1 Figure.2
3. Results
3.1. Control Group
The control group is pure wood beam, and is tested with UTM. The ultimate
compressive load of pure wood beam is 3919 kg. The displacement of pure wood
beam is 14 mm.

3.2. Test Group

The test group is wood beam with 220 cm square GFRP sheets, and is tested with
UTM. The ultimate compressive load of pure wood beam is 5121 kg. The
displacement of pure wood beam is 18 mm.

3.3. Research Findings and Conclusions

I find that when we glue the GFRP sheets on wood beam, we can get larger value of
ultimate compressive load than pure wood beam. The wood beam with GFRP sheets
can resist more compressive load than pure wood beam. On the lateral side 1 of
wood beam with GFRP sheets, I used the GFRP sheet in the middle of wood beam,
but professor told me that shear failure occurred on the supports of wood beam. So I
never use the GFRP sheets in the middle of the lateral side 2 of wood beam.

4. References
A. Fiber Reinforced Polymers Characteristics and Behaviors, https://www.build-on-
prince.com/fiber-reinforced-polymers.html
B. universal testing machine,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_testing_machine
C. Fiber-reinforced plastic, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibre-
reinforced_plastic#Advantages_and_limitations