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Studies on the fire behaviour of FRP

reinforced and/or strengthened
concrete members
Venkatesh Kodur

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Studies on the fire behaviour of FRP reinforced and/or

strengthened concrete members
Bisby, L. A.; Green, M. F.; Kodur, V. R.

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 Studies on the fire behaviour of FRP reinforced and/or
strengthened concrete members

Bisby, L.A.; Williams, B.K.; Green, M.F.;

Kodur, V.K.R.

NRCC-45132

A version of this document is published in / Une version de ce document se trouve dans :

Second International Conference on the Durability of Composites for Construction,
Montréal, Québec, May 29-31, 2002, pp. 405-417

http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ircpubs
 STUDIES ON THE FIRE BEHAVIOUR OF FRP REINFORCED AND/OR
STRENGTHENED CONCRETE MEMBERS

Luke A. Bisby, Brea K. Williams, Venkatesh K.R. Kodur

and Mark F. Green Fire Laboratory, Institute for Research in
Department of Civil Engineering Construction
Queens University at Kingston, Canada National Research Council of Canada

The deterioration of reinforced concrete infrastructure around the world has led to the
use of fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) in civil engineering applications. Two applications
for which these materials have shown an almost immediate promise are wrapping of
reinforced concrete columns and internal reinforcement of concrete slabs. However, there
are serious concerns associated with the behaviour of these materials at high temperature,
as would be experienced in case of fire, which need to be addressed before FRP can be
widely accepted for use in structures other than bridges. This paper presents preliminary
results from a study to investigate the effects of fire on FRP-wrapped reinforced concrete
columns and FRP bar or grid reinforced concrete slabs. Preliminary numerical modelling
indicates that FRP reinforcements are particularly sensitive to fire and that special fire
design considerations are both warranted and necessary when using FRP as either internal
or external reinforcement for concrete.

La détérioration des infrastructures en béton armé à travers le monde a conduit à

l’utilisation des PRFs dans les applications de génie civil. Deux applications de ces
matériaux semblent d’ores et déjà prometteuses: l’enveloppement des colonnes renforcées
en béton et le renforcement interne de dalles de béton. Cependant, on suspecte l’existence
de sérieux problèmes associés au comportement de ces matériaux sous température élevée
comme dans les cas d’incendies, problèmes qui doivent être résolus avant que ces
matériaux ne deviennent largement acceptés pour utilisation dans des structures autres que
les ponts. Cet article présente les résultats préliminaires d’une étude portant sur les effets du
feu sur des colonnes enveloppées par les PRFs et sur des dalles renforcées avec des barres
ou des grillages en PRF. La modélisation préliminaire indique que les renforcements en
PRF sont particulièrment sensibles au feu. Ainsi, il apparait que des considérations
spéciales de design pour le feu sont nécessaires lors de l’usage des PRFs en tant que
renforcement interne ou externe pour le béton.

1
 INTRODUCTION
Applications of fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) products for rehabilitation of concrete
members, or for creating new, durable concrete structures are rapidly becoming a viable
option for repairing or replacing the deteriorating North American infrastructure. These
products may be sheets or plates for rehabilitation of concrete structures, or rods for
internal reinforcement or prestressing. Most of the current applications of this technology
have been for the rehabilitation or construction of bridges, or for retrofits, where additional
live load capacity is required. A potentially much larger market is in infrastructure and
building rehabilitation, where FRP could replace or supplement corroded steel in concrete.
One of the main impediments to using FRP products in buildings is the lack of knowledge
about the fire resistance of these new and innovative materials.
To address this gap in knowledge, a comprehensive research study is being conducted at
Queen's University in conjunction with the Institute for Research in Construction of the
National Research Council of Canada (NRC). An analytical and experimental study
investigating the fire behavior of FRP-wrapped and/or reinforced concrete beams, slabs,
and columns is currently underway. The objectives of this research study are: to determine
the fire resistance of beams, slabs, and columns strengthened and/or reinforced with FRP
sheets, plates, or bars; to develop validated computer models to predict the behaviour in fire
of concrete members incorporating FRP; and to provide information regarding fire
behaviour to designers of structures incorporating FRP.
This paper presents primarily the results of preliminary numerical modeling, done in an
attempt to predict the behaviour in fire of circular FRP-wrapped reinforced concrete
columns and FRP bar or grid reinforced concrete slabs.
BACKGROUND
In recent years, the use of FRP in structural engineering applications, particularly as
reinforcement for concrete, has garnered a great deal of research attention. Two specific
applications which have shown an almost immediate promise are FRP wrapping of
reinforced concrete columns to increase their strength and ductility, by providing a
confining mechanism for the concrete core, and internal reinforcement of concrete slabs
with FRP bar or grid reinforcement, where the non-corrosive nature of FRP can be used to
greatest advantage (Bisby et al, 2001). Widespread acceptance of both of these
applications now seems inevitable. However, FRPs are composed of fibres in a polymer
matrix. While the fibres commonly used in civil engineering applications are relatively
insensitive to the effects of elevated temperatures (carbon fibres are capable of resisting
temperatures of well over 1000ºC for example (ACI, 2001)), the commonly used polymer
matrices (epoxies and polyesters) are combustible, and are highly susceptible to
deterioration of mechanical properties with elevated temperature. If FRP materials are to
be used with confidence in buildings, where the potential for fire poses a realistic risk to the
structure, it is essential that the consequences of combustion and deterioration of
mechanical properties of FRPs be adequately ascertained and accounted for in design.
While it is difficult to make generalizations with respect to the high temperature
behaviour of FRP due to the wide variety of currently available FRP formulations, there are
a number of concerns that should be considered.

2
 One group of concerns is associated with combustion of the polymer matrix, and the
potential for increased flame spread and smoke generation, as well as smoke toxicity.
While not a serious concern for internal FRP reinforcement, as would be used in slabs,
increased flame spread and smoke generation poses a serious risk in FRP repair
applications, where FRP is applied to the exterior of a column, beam, or slab. However, in
the only published study on the flame spread and smoke generation characteristics of an
FRP wrapping system, Apicella and Imbrogno (1999) found that adequate flame spread and
smoke generation characteristics for a specific carbon/epoxy FRP wrap system could be
achieved by applying an intumescent latex protective layer to the exterior of the wrap.
While not the focus of this research project, further studies into the flame spread, smoke
generation, and toxicity characteristics of FRP systems are both warranted and required.
The second group of concerns in using FRP for structural applications where fire is a
risk is the potential for deterioration of mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. The
deterioration of mechanical properties of FRP at high temperature is due primarily to
deterioration of the polymer matrix, resulting in loss of interaction between the individual
fibres and loss of bond between the FRP and the substrate or surrounding concrete. The
consequences of this mechanical deterioration depend to a large extent on the way in which
the FRP has been used as reinforcement. In internal reinforcement applications, loss of
bond between the FRP and the concrete is a primary concern, as is loss of strength and
stiffness. These would both lead to loss of tensile reinforcement for the slab or beam, and
possibly to failure. In applications where FRP is applied to the exterior of a reinforced
concrete member, as would be the case in a column wrapping application, loss of the
confining mechanism through loss of bond or mechanical properties is a realistic
consequence of fire, resulting in loss of the increased column capacity and ductility
engaged by the FRP wrap.
Properties of FRP at High Temperature
In order to develop the numerical models presented later in this paper, a detailed
knowledge of the thermal and mechanical properties of all constituent materials of an FRP
reinforced concrete structure is required. A complete discussion of the thermal and
mechanical properties of steel and concrete is avoided here, but can be found in Lie (1992).
For FRP, the thermal and mechanical properties at high temperature are not well
understood, and a great deal of research is still required in this area.
Strength and Stiffness: Several studies into the high temperature properties of FRP are
available in the literature, and they generally show that the material properties of FRPs can
be significantly deteriorated by relatively mild increases in temperature. The matrix will
soften at temperatures close to the glass transition temperature (GTT) for the matrix, which
is usually between 65 and 150ºC (ACI, 2001; ISIS, 2001). Beyond the GTT, the strength
and stiffness of a polymer are greatly reduced. Carbon fibres, as mentioned previously,
have very good thermal stability and are relatively unaffected by temperatures in excess of
1000ºC. This means that the fibres can support much of the load in the direction of the
fibres, even when the matrix is severely deteriorated (ACI, 2001). However, because there
is a reduction in the stress redistribution among the fibres through the resin, the tensile
properties of the overall composite are reduced significantly at high temperatures. In cases

3
where the resin is relied upon to transfer load, as is the case in bonded applications such as
flexural strengthening or column wrapping, the loss of composite action between the
concrete and the CFRP can be expected at temperatures below 200ºC, or within 10 to 20ºC
of the GTT (Blontrock et al., 1999). The few studies that have been conducted on CFRP at
elevated temperatures indicate that this is in fact the case.
Based on the results of a number of authors (Bisby et al., 2001), and on a summary of
data presented by Blontrock et al. (1999), the strength and stiffness properties of a
carbon/epoxy FRP with increasing temperature have been idealized for the purposes of this
paper as those shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively. Fig. 2 gives two curves: one for the
case where the polymer matrix is relied upon for anchorage, and one when a temperature
resistant anchorage is provided (e.g., if the anchorage zone is heavily insulated or
unexposed). It is important to note that these relationships are based on small amounts of
data and should not be used for design purposes. For any specific FRP material, tests are
required in order to characterize its particular thermo-mechanical properties.

100 100
% Original Strength

% Original Modulus
75 75 No Bond Reliance

50 50
Bond Reliance
25 25

0 0
0 250 500 750 1000 0 250 500 750 1000
Temperature (deg. C) Temperature (deg. C)

Fig. 1: Assumed Variation in FRP Fig. 2: Assumed Variation in FRP

Ultimate Strength with Temperature Modulus with Temperature
Thermal Properties: Information on the thermal properties of FRP is also extremely
scarce and depends primarily on the specific formulation of the polymer matrix used. For
the purposes of this paper, thermal properties for a carbon/epoxy FRP, as presented by
Griffis et al. (1984), have been used. Their results were from tests on a specific
carbon/epoxy FRP (AS/3501-6), which is used in the aerospace industry. It was tested for
its thermophysical properties under exposure to rapid heating by laser irradiation. The
resulting variation in density, specific heat, and thermal conductivity are shown in Fig. 3.
The effects of matrix pyrolysis are included by artificially increasing the specific heat of the
polymer in the temperature range from 300 to 510°C. It is important to note that these
thermal properties are specific to the AS/3501-6 composite and are used here for lack of
information on the FRPs currently used in the civil engineering industry. Tests on the
specific composite systems used with concrete will be required before the numerical
models presented in this paper can be used with confidence. For the purposes of this paper,
the coefficient of thermal expansion of CFRP is taken as 0 µε/°C (ACI, 2001).

4
 6
5 Specific Heat (J/g-K)

4
3
3 Density (g/cm )
2
1 Thermal Conductivity (W/m-K)
0
0 250 500 750 1000
Temperature (deg. C)
Fig. 3: Assumed Thermal Properties for Carbon/Epoxy CFRP
Fire Tests on FRP Reinforced Concrete
Very few tests on FRP reinforced concrete elements under exposure to fire are available
in the literature. In terms of FRP bar or grid reinforcement of concrete slabs and beams,
results of fire tests on slabs have been reported by a number of authors (Bisby et al., 2001).
However, the results of these studies are generally applicable only to specific applications
and conditions such as FRP reinforced curtain wall panels, or residual strength tests after
exposure to fire, and are not readily applicable to a wide range of FRP reinforcing
applications. Nor are the above studies very useful in providing design guidance in a more
general sense. The above studies do, however, suggest a tremendous variation in the ability
of FRP reinforcing bars or grids to withstand exposure to fire.
As far as external reinforcement of concrete with FRP sheets is concerned, only two
studies have been reported in the literature, and these have considered only flexural
strengthening with CFRP plates (Deuring, 1994; Blontrock et al., 1999). The results of
these initial test programs demonstrated the need for thermal insulation of the FRP plates.
Bond between the FRP and concrete was lost very rapidly for the unprotected specimens
but occurred after about an hour for those with an insulating cover. It was also
demonstrated that partial insulation of the external strengthening system (applied to the
anchorage zones only) was able to maintain interaction between the FRP and the concrete.
No work has been done specifically on the bond of external FRP reinforcements to
concrete at high temperature. Since temperature effects are more critical in externally
bonded applications (loss of bond would mean a complete loss of reinforcement), research
is required in this area.
NUMERICAL MODELS
Due to the scarcity of information on the fire behaviour of both FRP bar or grid
reinforced concrete slabs and FRP-wrapped reinforced concrete columns, numerical models
were developed at Queen’s University, Canada, in an attempt to simulate their fire
behaviour.

5
Column Model
The column model uses a coupled heat transfer/equilibrium analysis technique to
describe the distribution of temperatures throughout an FRP-wrapped reinforced concrete
column subjected to the standard fire, and subsequently to estimate its load carrying
capacity. A similar technique has been used previously with great success for modelling
the fire resistance of reinforced concrete columns and concrete filled hollow structural steel
sections (Lie, 1992).
Heat transfer methodology: The fire temperature at each instant is calculated in
accordance with the standard time-temperature curve of the Underwriters’ Laboratories of
Canada (CAN/ULC, 1999). Once the fire temperature is known, the heat transfer portion of
the program is essentially an explicit finite difference (FD) formulation, and follows a
procedure very similar to that of Lie (1994) for concrete filled steel HSS sections. The
column is divided into a number of circular layers and an energy balance relationship is
developed for each. The resulting energy balances result in a series of FD equations that
yield the temperature at any location throughout the column for any instant in time. It
should be noted that the variation in the thermal properties of the concrete with temperature
is taken into account using accepted relationships given by Lie (1992). The thermal
properties of FRP are taken as those given in Fig. 3.
At each time step, the fire temperature is calculated, and the FD equations are used to
step through the column from the exterior to the centreline. Once the column temperatures
at each layer are known, the time is stepped forward and the procedure is repeated. In this
manner, the entire time-temperature history can be obtained for any point in the column.
Load Capacity Methodology: Once the distribution of temperatures throughout the
column cross-section are known at each time step, the column is divided into a series of
annular elements. For each element the temperature, stress, and strain are assumed to be
those at the midpoint of the element. The longitudinal (total) strain in any element of the
cross-section, which is assumed to be subjected to both axial and flexural loads, is equal to
the sum of the thermal, axial, and bending strains.
The column curvature is assumed to vary linearly from pin ends to mid-height, so for
any given curvature, and thus any mid-height deflection, the overall axial strain in the
column is varied until the internal moment at mid-height is equal to the external moment
due to applied loads. By repeating this procedure for increasing curvatures (until the
maximum axial load is reached), the program calculates load versus mid-height deflection
plots for the column over a range of times during exposure to fire. From these plots, the
maximum load that the column can sustain is determined, and a plot of load capacity versus
fire exposure time is obtained.
A unique aspect of this model is that it accounts for the beneficial effects of FRP
confinement on the strength of a concrete column exposed to fire. The confinement effect
was incorporated in the model using an iterative procedure developed by Spolestra and
Monti (1999) to estimate the confinement pressure provided by an FRP wrap at any overall
axial strain value. The model considers equilibrium between the concrete core (which is
dilating) and the confining FRP wrap to successively estimate the confining pressure until
convergence to a constant value is observed. The confinement model was complicated by

6
the fact that the stress strain properties of the concrete in the column (required for input into
the confinement model) were non-uniform over the cross-section, due to material
deterioration as a consequence of increased temperature. The procedure for calculation of
the confinement pressure was altered slightly to account for the effect of fire on the stress
strain properties of the concrete core. With the axial strain in the concrete assumed, and
the temperatures throughout the cross-section known, the maximum unconfined concrete
strength and strain for each ring of the column, and the modulus and ultimate tensile
strength of the wrap (based on its average temperature) were obtained. These values were
used as inputs for the Spolestra and Monti confinement model, and the resulting confining
pressure was determined.
The column model is able to account for variations in cross-section and reinforcement
geometry, aggregate type, mechanical properties, supplemental insulation, and loss of the
wrap at a prescribed temperature. The output of the model consists of a series of
temperature distributions over the column cross-section at mid-height, as well as a plot of
axial load capacity versus time of exposure to fire. This plot can be used to estimate the
columns’ fire resistance as the time at which the load capacity falls below that required for
design.
Slab Model
In terms of slab modeling, only a heat transfer analysis was conducted because of the
manner in which fire resistance has traditionally been defined for reinforced concrete slabs.
The heat transfer analysis was conducted using an FD formulation similar to that used for
the column modeling. No load capacity calculations were made for the slabs.
The fire resistance for the FRP reinforced concrete slabs was assumed based on two
separate requirements for temperature, as opposed to load capacity. The first of these
requirements was that the temperature at the level of the internal reinforcement must not
exceed the critical temperature for the reinforcing material. For conventional reinforcing
steel the critical temperature has been defined as 593°C, whereas for FRP reinforcement the
critical temperature remains unknown, although research suggests that it should be
substantially less, in the range of 150-250°C. The second fire resistance criterion is that the
temperature rise at the unexposed face of the slab should not increase by more than 160°C.
The outputs of the slab model consist of temperature distributions across the slab at
various instants in time during the fire exposure, as well as design charts that can be used to
determine the required concrete cover to the reinforcement for FRP bars (with a known
critical temperature) to achieve a desired fire resistance.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Columns
As there are currently no results from fire tests on FRP-wrapped columns available in
the literature, the column model was validated against results from tests on conventionally
reinforced concrete columns (Lie and Celikkol, 1991). The reader should note that the
effect of FRP confinement has yet to be validated, and thus the model should not yet be
considered accurate. However, the model does provide a comparison of various scenarios

7
in terms of fire behaviour of FRP-wrapped columns. Full-scale fire tests planned for this
year are required to validate the numerical model for FRP wrapped columns, and to gain
insight into the thermo-mechanical properties of the wrap.
The model was used to conduct a series of preliminary studies to investigate the effect
of fire on the behaviour of FRP-wrapped reinforced concrete columns. Fig. 4 shows results
of these preliminary studies, and gives the axial load capacity versus time of exposure to
fire for a typical 3.8 m tall, 400 mm diameter, spirally reinforced, circular concrete column
(unwrapped), the same column with 5 layers of a typical carbon/epoxy FRP wrap, and the
wrapped column with a one-inch thick layer of rock wool insulation applied to the exterior
of the wrap. Also shown in Fig. 4 are horizontal lines that represent the design load
capacity of the column using various design guidelines. Included are the CSA A23.3
(1994) and ACI 318 (1995) capacities for the unwrapped column, as well as the capacities
of the 5-layer wrapped column calculated according to ISIS (2001) and ACI (2001).

6000

5-Layer Wrap w/ Insulation

5000
Load Capacity (kN)

5-Layer Wrap

4000
5-Layer Wrap (ACI 440) Unwrapped Column

5-Layer Wrap (ISIS Canada)

3000
Unwrapped (ACI 318)

Unwrapped (CSA A23.3)

2000
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (h)
Fig. 4: Fire Resistance Curves and Design Strengths for all Four Modelled Columns
It is evident that the strength of the unwrapped column decreases steadily during
exposure to fire, as would be expected. Adding five layers of FRP wrap increases the
initial strength of the column by about 19%. However, this increase in strength is lost in
less than fifteen minutes in case of fire, and the strength of the column is reduced to that of
the unwrapped column. As exposure time increases however, the beneficial effects of the
wrap (which has a comparatively low thermal conductivity in the transverse direction) as an
insulating layer for the concrete column begins to take effect. It is evident in Fig. 4 that
significantly longer fire resistance is predicted by the model for a column with an FRP
wrap. By adding a 25mm thick layer of rock wool insulation the fire resistance of the
column is increased substantially, although the beneficial effects of confinement are still

8
lost within thirty minutes of fire exposure. It is also evident that for the wrapped systems,
while loss of confinement occurs very early on in the exposure to fire (even for the
insulated case), the fire resistance is improved as compared with the unwrapped column,
resulting from the insulative properties of the wrap. The consequences of this behaviour,
while unconfirmed until full-scale fire tests are performed, could men that although the
structural benefits of the wrapping system are difficult to maintain in case of fire, the
insulative properties warrant an increase in the overall fire resistance of the members.
Slabs
The slab model was validated against results from two tests reported on in the literature
(NEFCOM, 1998; PCA, 1968) and was found to agree very well with both experimental and
numerical results from those studies. The model was then used to conduct a parametric
study to determine those variables that should be considered in the development of design
tools for designers of FRP bar or grid reinforced concrete slabs. It was subsequently
determined that the key factors to consider were: critical temperature of the reinforcement,
concrete cover, and aggregate type. Design charts were then developed (see Fig. 5 as an
example) to estimate the required concrete cover thickness to achieve a desired fire
resistance, given a known critical temperature for the FRP reinforcement.

80
Cover to Reinforcement (mm)

Critical Temperature =100 deg. C 150 200 250

300
70
350
60
400
50
450

40 500

550
30 600

20
10
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
Fire Resistance (hours)

Fig. 5: Sample design chart for a 120 mm thick carbonate aggregate FRP reinforced
concrete slab
In Fig. 5 it is interesting to note that for a 120 mm thick limestone aggregate concrete
slab, reinforced with FRP bars with a critical temperature of 250°C (which is not
unreasonable for the currently available FRP reinforcing products), a cover thickness of
about 50 mm would be required. If the slab were reinforced with conventional reinforcing
steel, which has a critical temperature of about 600°C, a cover of only 15 mm would be
required. It is thus evident that substantially larger concrete covers will be required to
provide fire protection for FRP reinforcement in concrete.

9
 The reader will note that it will likely prove be a difficult task, given the wide variety of
FRP materials currently available, to determine the critical temperatures for FRP
reinforcements for concrete. For conventional reinforcing steel the critical temperature is
593°C, the temperature at which it loses about 50% of its original (room temperature)
strength. A similar criterion could be used to define the critical temperature for FRP
reinforcement. Thus, a standard test method for defining critical temperatures of FRP
reinforcements will be required before these critical temperatures can be stated with
confidence and uniformity.
Another complicating factor is that the bond of FRP reinforcements to concrete is
severely degraded at modestly elevated temperatures. In a recent study, Katz et al. (1999)
found that various FRP reinforcements suffered bond strength reductions of 80 to 90% at
temperatures up to 200°C, while conventional reinforcing steel suffers a bond strength
reduction of only about 38% at the same temperature. Although current fire design
guidelines do not appear to be concerned with loss of bond strength for conventional steel
reinforcement, loss of bond could, in the case of FRP reinforcement, be a more critical
factor than loss of tensile strength. If, however, FRP reinforcement is continuous over
many bays of a structure, and the fire is confined to a single bay (a scenario which is highly
plausible), then bond would be maintained in unexposed areas, with significant strength
remaining in the FRP reinforcement. Such detailed considerations of how potential
structures might behave in the case of fire are not currently permitted in North-American
design codes. However, there has recently been a shift in the engineering design
community to develop more performance based design codes, where such considerations
could come into play. Until performance based codes are formulated and sanctioned, it
seems inevitable that critical temperatures for FRP reinforcements will be required before
adequate design guidelines can be suggested.
EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM
In order to gain further insight into the behaviour of FRP confined reinforced concrete
columns, as well as to validate and refine the numerical model, a series fire resistance tests
on full-scale FRP wrapped reinforced concrete columns will be conducted at NRC. In the
first phase, six circular reinforced concrete columns will be tested under load and exposure
to fire. Both an unwrapped and a wrapped column will initially be tested; at which point
the test conditions and FRP layout for the remaining 4 columns will be finalized. Some of
the parameters that are being investigated include: load intensity, load eccentricity,
incorporation of insulating and/or intumescent coatings, wrap configuration and anchorage,
and wrap thickness. The columns will be tested in compression (constant axial load) and
subjected to heat in a specially designed column test furnace. Details on the layout and
capacity of the test furnace can be found in Lie (1980).
CONCLUSIONS
The results and discussion presented in this paper represent preliminary studies into the
effects of fire on FRP confined concrete columns and FRP bar or grid reinforced concrete
slabs. Validation and modification of the column model is required before it can be used
with confidence. The key unknowns that must be evaluated relate to the thermo-
mechanical properties of the FRP materials. Nonetheless, the results of preliminary

10
modelling indicate that a significant increase in column strength can be expected when
wrapping circular reinforced concrete columns with FRP, and that FRP wraps are
particularly sensitive to the harmful effects of fire. The results also indicate that fire
protection for the wraps, in the form of an insulating cover, will increase the time to loss of
confinement, although confinement is still lost very early on during exposure to fire for
insulation thicknesses that would be used in practice. Slab modeling indicates that
substantially larger concrete cover thicknesses will be required in order to provide thermal
protection for FRP reinforcing bars in FRP reinforced concrete slabs subjected to fire.
Also, further work is required in order to define the critical temperatures for FRP bars or
grids, such that slab design aids similar that given above can be used with confidence.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the National Research Council of
Canada and Queen’s University. The authors are members of the Intelligent Sensing for
Innovative Structures Network (ISIS Canada), and wish to acknowledge the support of the
Networks of Centers of Excellence Program of the Government of Canada, and the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
REFERENCES
ACI 2001. Guide for the design and construction of externally bonded FRP systems for
strengthening concrete structures. Committee 440 Draft Document. American Concrete
Institute, Farmington Hills, MI.
ACI 1995. Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-95). American
Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI.
Apicella, F., & Imbrogno, M. 1999. Fire performance of CFRP-composites used for
repairing and strengthening concrete. In Materials and Construction: Exploring the
Connection. Proc. 5th ASCE Materials Engineering Congress, Cincinnati, OH, May, pp.
260-266.
Bisby, L.A., Green, M.F., and Kodur, V.K.R. 2001. Fire Behaviour of FRP Wrapped
Reinforced Concrete Columns. In Structural Faults and Repair 2001. Edited by M.
Forde. Engineering Technics Press, Edinburgh, UK, 14 pp.
Blontrock, H., Taerwe, L., and Matthys, S. 1999. Properties of Fiber Reinforced Plastics at
Elevated Temperatures with Regard to Fire Resistance of Reinforced Concrete
Members. In Fibre Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement for Reinforced Concrete
Structures. Edited by A. Nanni, C.W. Dolan, and S.H. Rizkalla. American Concrete
Institute, Detroit, Michigan, pp. 43-54.
CAN/ULC 1999. Standard Methods of Fire Endurance Tests of Building Construction and
Materials. CAN/ULC-S101-M89, Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada, Scarborough,
ON.
CSA 2001. CAN/CSA-S6-00: Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code. Canadian
Standards Association, Ottawa, Ontario.

11
Deuring, M. 1994. Brandversuche an nachtraglich verstarkten Tragern aus Beton.
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