ACI STRUCTURAL JOURNAL COMMITTEE REPORT

Title no. 92-S61 ACI 440R

Abstract of:
State-of-the-Art-Report on FIber Reinforced Plastic (FRP)
for Concrete Structures
reported by ACI Committee 440

A. Nanni,* Chairman H. Saadatmanesh,* Secretary M. R. Ehsani,* Subcommittee Chairman

S. Ahmad S. Faza* E. O’Neil

P. Albrecht D. M. Gale* S. L. Phoenix
A. H. Al-Tayyib H. R. Ganz M. Porter
P. N. Balaguru A. Gerritse A. H. Rahman
C. A. Ballinger C. H. Goodspeed* V. Ramakrishnan
L. C. Bank M. S. Guglielmo S. H. Rizkalla*
N. Banthia J. Hickman N. Santoh †
D. Barno* S. L. Iyer* M. Schupack
H. Budelmann M. E. MacNeil Y. Sonobe
C. J. Burgoyne H. Marsh* J. D. Speakman
P. Catsman M. Mashima M. Sugita
T. E. Cousins* C. R. McClaskey L. Taerwe
C. W. Dolan* H. Mutsuyoshi T. Uomoto
H. Edwards A. E. Naaman M. Wecharatana
T. Okamoto

*Members of the Subcommittee on the State-of-the-Art Report.

†Deceased.

The use of FRP as reinforcement for concrete structures has been growing CONTENTS OF FULL REPORT
rapidly in recent years. This state-of-the-art report summarizes the current 1—Introduction and history
state of knowledge on these materials. In addition to the material proper- 1.1—Introduction
ties of the constituents, i.e., resins and fibers, design philosophies for rein- 1.2—History of the US pultrusion industry
forced and prestressed elements are discussed. When the available data 1.3—Evolution of FRP reinforcement in the USA
warrant flexure, shear, and bond behavior, and serviceability of the mem- 1.4—FRP Materials
bers has been examined. Strengthening of existing structures with FRPs
and field applications of these materials are also presented.
2—FRP composites: An overview of constituent
materials
2.1—Introduction
Keywords: composite materials; concrete; concrete construction; design; external
reinforcement; fiber reinforced plastic (FRP); fibers; mechanical properties; polymer
2.2—Importance of the polymer matrix
resins; prestressed concretes; reinforced concrete; reinforcement; research; structural 2.3—Introduction to matrix polymers
analysis; structural elements; structural research; testing; test methods. 2.4—Polyester resins

ACI Committee Reports, Guides, Standard Practices, and Com-
mentaries are intended for guidance in designing, planning, ex-
ecuting, or inspecting construction and in preparing
specifications. Reference to these documents shall not be made
in the Project Documents. If items found in these documents are
desired to be part of the Project Documents, they should be
phrased in mandatory language and incorporated in the Project
Documents.
ACI Structural Journal, V. 92, No. 5, September-October 1995.
The report was submitted to letter ballot of the Committee and was approved
according to Institute procedures.
Copyright © 1995, American Concrete Institute.
All rights reserved including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by any
means, including the making of copies by any photo process, or by any electronic or
mechanical device, printed or written or oral, or recording for sound or visual repro-
duction or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device, unless permission in
writing is obtained for the copyright proprietors.
Pertinent discussion will be published in the January-February 1995 ACI Structural
Journal if received by Dec. 1, 1995.

ACI Structural Journal / September-October 1995 627

 2.5—Epoxy resins 10—References
2.6—Processing considerations associated with polymer matrix resins
2.7—Structural considerations in processing polymer matrix resins Appendix A—Terminology
2.8—Reinforcing fibers for structural composites
2.9—Glass fibers
2.10—Carbon fibers
ABSTRACT OF FULL REPORT
2.11—Aramid fibers
As an alternative to uncoated and epoxy-coated steel rein-
2.12—Other organic fibers
2.13—Hybrid reinforcements forcement for prestressed and non-prestressed concrete
2.14—Processes for structural molding members, new reinforcing materials, generally identified as
2.15—Summary fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composites, have received in-
3—Mechanical properties and test methods creasing interest in the construction industry. FRP reinforce-
3.1—Physical and mechanical properties ment consists of glass, aramid, carbon, or other synthetic
3.2—Factors affecting mechanical properties
fibers impregnated with a thermoset resin (i.e., resin that
3.3—Gripping mechanisms
3.4—Theoretical modeling of GFRP bars hardens upon application of heat or catalyst and cannot reli-
3.5—Test methods quify). The fibers are the primary source of strength, stiff-
ness, and dimensional stability of FRP composites. The resin
4—Design guidelines
4.1—Fundamental design philosophy is the matrix that binds the fibers together, allows load trans-
4.2—Ductility fer between individual fibers, and protects fibers from the
4.3—Constitutive behavior and material properties environment.
4.4—Design of bonded FRP reinforced members
4.5—Unbonded reinforcement
The properties of FRP reinforcement are substantially dif-
4.6—Bonded plate reinforcement ferent from those of conventional steel (i.e., elastic up to fail-
4.7—Shear design ure, high-strength, low-modulus). There is a wide range of
5—Behavior of structural elements potential applications of FRP reinforcement that covers new
5.1—Strength of slabs and beams reinforced with FRP construction as well as strengthening/rehabilitation, use of
5.2—Serviceability prestressed as well as non-prestressed members, and prefab-
5.3—FRP tie connectors for sandwich walls
ricated as well as cast-in-place construction. The justifica-
6—Prestressed concrete elements tion and motivation for this is interest in FRP reinforcement
6.1—Strength of FRP prestressed concrete beams as a worldwide phenomenon.
6.2—Strength of FRP post-tensioned concrete beams
As FRP reinforcement for concrete structures moves from
7—External reinforcement the R&D phase to the demonstration and commercialization
7.1—Strength of FRP post-reinforced beams
phases, the need for a state-of-the-art report addressing back-
7.2—Wrapping
7.3—External unbonded prestressing ground, FRP constituent materials and properties, test meth-
ods, design guidelines, behavior of structural elements,
8—Field applications external reinforcement, field applications, and research needs
8.1—Reinforced concrete structures
8.2—Pre- and post-tensioned concrete structures has emerged. This document, prepared and balloted according
8.3—Strengthening of concrete structures to ACI procedures, is to serve this need and complement the
9—Research needs existing body of literature available on the subject.
9.1—Materials behavior
9.2—Behavior of concrete members This report has been successfully balloted by ACI Committee 228 and processed in
9.3—Design guidelines accordance with ACI procedures.

628 ACI Structural Journal / September-October 1995