Case Studies in Construction Materials 19 (2023) e02391

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Case Studies in Construction Materials

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cscm

Mechanical properties and failure mechanism analysis of

basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars
Gang Wu b, Yuhang Ren b, Jinbo Du b, Hongguang Wang a, *, Xin Zhang c
a
College of Aerospace and Civil Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China
b
School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
c
China Construction First Group Corporation Limited, Beijing 100067, China

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: In order to solve the defect of insufficient performance of the single fiber reinforced plastic (FRP)
Basalt fibers bars. The basalt fibers and glass fibers are prepared into the basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP
Hybrid composite bars composite bars (B/G hybrid FRP bars) in this paper. The failure mechanism of basalt-glass fibers
Tensile properties
hybrid FRP composite bars is analyzed by the finite element method. The main failure factors
Extensibility
Failure mechanism
include not only fiber breakage but also the separation of the interface between the two fibers.
The mechanical properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars in the alkaline
environment are predicted by simulation. The tensile properties, elongation properties, pseudo
ductility stage length, and yield stress reduction of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars
under different fiber volume ratios are investigated by tensile tests. The results show that when
the volume ratio of glass fiber to basalt fiber is 7:3, the ultimate strain reaches 2.57%. When the
volume ratio of glass fiber to basalt fiber is 9:1, the ultimate strain reaches 3.06%, with a dif­
ference of 0.49%. In addition, the yield stress reduction stage in basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP
composite bars is also affected by the volume ratio of hybrid fibers. When the volume ratio of
glass fibers to basalt fibers is 9:1 and 7:3, the difference in ultimate tensile strength and the
difference in yield stress reduction stage of the two are 185.85 MPa and 145.09 MPa, respectively.
In addition, the optimal volume ratio range suitable for different situations is summarized in the
study. When glass fiber accounts for 68.9–100% of the total integral number of basalt-glass fibers
hybrid FRP composite bars, the tensile and extension properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP
composite bars have different degrees of change.

1. Introduction

The fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) composites are composed of reinforced fibers, such as glass fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers,
and basalt fibers. And matrix materials are made by winding, molding, pultrusion, and other forming processes [1–3]. The main
advantages of single fiber FRP composites are lightweight, high strength, and corrosion resistance, which can replace the traditional
steel bars [4]. However, the further application of the single-fiber FRP composite is limited by the high cost of the fiber itself, or the
insufficient deformation capacity, stiffness, and other factors. Therefore, steel bars cannot be completely replaced in applications
[5–9]. In order to overcome the deficiency of single-fiber performance. Hybrid technology is an effective way to solve this problem. By

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: wanghongguang@hrbeu.edu.cn (H. Wang).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2023.e02391
Received 24 April 2023; Received in revised form 6 August 2023; Accepted 9 August 2023
Available online 12 August 2023
2214-5095/© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
G. Wu et al. Case Studies in Construction Materials 19 (2023) e02391

mixing fibers of different strengths, stiffness, and elongation at break. Using the advantages of different fibers, the comprehensive
mechanical properties of the composite materials are optimized. So as to obtain reasonable cost performance [10]. In the mixing
process of different fibers, there will be a hybrid effect that does not meet the mixing law, In other words, the mechanical properties of
hybrid FRP composites, such as strength, stiffness, elongation, and modulus, are different from those of single FRP composites
calculated according to the mixing law [1]. Higher than the calculated value of the mixing law is usually called a positive mixing effect,
and below the calculated value is called a negative confounding effect. In fact, when the properties of hybrid FRP composites obtain
positive hybrid effects, other properties also produce negative hybrid effects. The hybrid effect tends to be between the mechanical
properties of two single FRP composites [11]. In addition to fiber-reinforced composites, natural fibers have also received a great deal
of attention [12,13].
At present, natural fibers are one of the many resources provided by nature [14,15]. AH Birniwa et al. [16] obtained some
interesting conclusions by collating a large number of literatures on natural fibers. For example, natural fibers are also considered as
plant fibers, and natural fibers are in line with the concept of low-carbon environmental protection. In addition, the hybridization of
natural fibers provides superior mechanical properties compared to purely natural fibers. If attention is paid to the treatment of the
fiber surface to make it suitable for different types of structures, it will increase the strength of this fiber material [17,18]. However, the
mechanical properties of natural fibers are far inferior to basalt fibers and glass fibers [19].
In recent years, domestic and foreign scholars have also conducted a lot of research on hybrid FRP composites. Firstly, the joining
process and fatigue properties of CFRP/aluminum were investigated by Guo et al. [20]. A stronger bond between CFRP (carbon-­
fiber-reinforced polymer) and the aluminum alloy is proposed. After pre-anodizing, the tensile strength of the CFRP/aluminum joint
reaches a maximum value of 176.5 MPa. The anodizing process introduces more surface microstructures on the aluminum sheet,
resulting in better wettability between the CFRP and the oxide film. Fatigue cracks start at the CFRP/oxide film interface and then
extend to the base material. Finally, the oxide film is detached from the base material under shear stress, which leads to the formation
of an oxide film CFRP/aluminum joint fracture. In addition, Kostiantyn Protchenko et al. [21] mainly studied the tensile properties of
hybrid fiber bars after basalt fiber is mixed with carbon fiber. By comparing with pure basalt fiber bars. It is found that the maximum
tensile strength of B/CFRP (basalt/carbon fiber reinforced polymer) hybrid bars with a diameter of 10 mm is about 1150 MPa, while
that of hybrid bars with a diameter of 8 mm can reach to 1280 MPa. This also confirms the feasibility of using hybrid fiber bars instead
of lower rigid BFRP bars [22]. However, the further influence of fiber arrangement and fiber volume ratio on confounding effect is not
continuously studied. On the basis of considering the effect of hybrid FRP bars on improving the tensile strength of single FRP bars,
Dong-Woo Seo et al. [23] conducted an experimental study on improving the elastic modulus. They mix steel bars and glass fibers, and
conclude that the elastic modulus of hybrid fiber bars increases by about 250%. Zhang et al.[24] also compensated for the low modulus
of elasticity of FRP bars by mixing them with steel and FRP bars. Liang et al. [25] conducted an experimental study on hybrid FRP bars
composed of glass fibers and carbon fibers. The experimental variables considered are the random distribution of glass fibers and
carbon fibers and the design of the glass fibers core protected by the carbon fibers shell. The tensile test results show that the ductility
and strain capacity of hybrid FRP bars are enhanced, but the mechanical properties of hybrid FRP bars still need further study. For
example, one way to reduce the amount of post-yield stress drop during the transition phase is to increase the percentage of glass fibers
by volume in the mixture. The adjustment of fiber volume needs to be optimized to obtain adequate stiffness for the hybrid composites.
In addition, Nageh M. Ali et al. [9] conducted a more diverse and detailed study on the tensile properties of basalt/carbon fibers
reinforced composite bars and glass/carbon fibers reinforced composite bars. The experimental variables are resin type, fiber pro­
portion, and fiber arrangement on cross-section. The experimental results show that the stress-strain relationship of FRP can change
from linear behavior to ductility behavior with the stable pseudo-yield platform and high-limit failure strain through the mixing of two
different fibers. In addition to the tensile properties of hybrid bars, Pan et al. [26] conducted an experimental study on the corrosion
resistance of carbon/glass fiber hybrid bars. The results show that the residual interlamellar shear strength of carbon/glass fiber hybrid
FRP composite bars after aging in an alkali solution is greater than that of GFRP bars. Due to the delay of water and OH- diffusion in
CFRP and the better alkaline resistance of CFRP, the durability of GFRP bars in an alkaline environment is enhanced by CFRP layers.
The above studies have proved that hybrid fiber bars can improve the tensile properties, elastic modulus, elongation properties and
durability of a single fiber bar. The results can provide technical support and theoretical guidance for engineering application and
design. Finally, in the repair of FRP materials, Li et al. [27] proposed to use 3D printing and traditional lamination cutting process to
complete. Through further research, two repair methods are obtained. They are single bond composite repair and double bond
composite repair. And through data comparison, it is found that the repair effect of a 3D printing patch is better than that of a laminate
patch. The tensile peak force, stiffness, and failure displacement of the 3D printed patch are 25.33%, 15.15%, and 69.67% higher than
those of the laminate patch, respectively. Modern concrete industry technology and soil industry technology have also been rapidly
developed. In the concrete industry technology, the secondary utilization of concrete and the durability of the composite structure of
concrete are concerned by many researchers at home and abroad. Alani, AA et al. [28] conducted a comprehensive study of the
composition and properties of different fractions of concrete waste in order to rationally utilize them as cementless binders. In the
coarse aggregate composed of gravel, its compressive strength is higher than that of concrete mortar. Therefore, the degree of broken
stone particles is poor, mainly accumulated in the broken pieces. The cement slurry is more easily broken, so the particles of the cement
matrix and quartz sand dominate the fraction of the smaller size. The research direction of Zhang et al. [29] is different from that of the
above concrete. They mainly conduct experimental research on the performance and design of composite concrete beams. The
composite fiber concrete beam shows ductile failure, and the bearing capacity of the beam continues to increase after yielding. The
flexural performance of composite fiber concrete beams is tested. The failure mode is discussed and a numerical model is established.
In addition, an in-depth study on the resistance to progressive collapse was made by Huang et al. [30]. The existing dynamic resistance
models are revised. The contribution of beams and slabs to the continuous collapse resistance of multi-story 3D model frames is also

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analyzed theoretically. Considering the long-term stability of engineering infrastructure in soil engineering technology, soil rein­
forcement is often needed in the construction process [31,32]. Technically, Wu et al. [33] established a uniaxial strain softening
constitutive model of fiber-reinforced soil based on the concept of disturbed state. It is found that fiber reinforcement is an effective
method for soil improvement. Since fiber reinforced soil still has a certain post-peak strength, it is necessary to identify the effect of
total stress-strain. The effect of fiber content on reinforcement effect can be well characterized by the constitutive model. Huang et al.
[34] proposed a systematic deformation calculation method for artificially controllable plastic hinge frames. The lateral deformation
amplification factor is introduced to adjust the soil deformation value. And the ultimate rotational stiffness of artificially controllable
plastic hinges can be obtained through further research. To avoid artificially controllable plastic hinge frame deformation exceeding
the demand limit. In the improvement of soil, Zhou et al. [35] developed a new lunar soil simulator named Beihang (BH) − 1. Adding
Al2O3 can improve the yield stress of BH-1 and reduce the flow index. And after adding Al2O3, the maximum compressive strength in
28 days can be increased by more than 100%. Finally, it is based on the significant effect of brittleness on rock compression failure.
Peng et al.[36] implemented a grain-based model using a two-dimensional particle flow code. The effect of brittleness on the
microfracture behavior of crystalline rocks is numerically investigated. The brittleness damage mechanism of rocks is discussed. The
ratio of grain boundary tensile cracking to shear cracking increases with the gradual decrease of model brittleness. And the damage
mode changes from tensile to shear damage.
At present, there is almost no relevant research on basalt fibers and glass fibers hybrid composite bars. From the price level, the cost
of carbon fibers and aramid fibers is about six times that of glass fibers and basalt fibers, and the price is relatively expensive. In recent
years, basalt fibers have aroused great interest in FRP composites. It is a new type of high technical continuous fibers made of natural
basalt ore as raw material, which is broken and added to the high-temperature furnace of 1450 ~ 1500 ◦ C through platinum-rhodium
alloy wire drawing leakage plate. In general, the tensile strength of basalt fibers is about 5 times that of steel bars in 2000 ~ 4500 MPa.
And basalt fibers have the most prominent characteristic of excellent corrosion resistance, and the production process meets the
current world advocate for the concept of green environmental protection. The elongation of the glass fibers is much higher than other
fibers, and E-glass fibers elongation is about 4.8%. The chemical composition of glass fiber and basalt fiber is very similar. So, when the
two fibers are mixed, there is a strong fiber interface bonding ability. This paper is different from the FRP fiber selected in other
literature. In this experiment, basalt fiber and glass fiber are selected for mixing, mainly because basalt fiber and glass fiber have four
advantages of mixing. First, basalt fiber can play a role in corrosion resistance. Second, the chemical composition of basalt fiber and
glass fiber is very similar. In this way, when the two fibers are mixed, they will have a very strong fiber interface bonding ability. Third,
the price of basalt fiber and glass fiber is low. The price of carbon fiber and aramid fiber is about times that of basalt fiber and glass
fiber. Fourth, basalt fiber and glass fiber are in line with the concept of low-carbon environmental protection. At the same time, this
paper reveals the failure characteristics and mechanism analysis of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars by means of
experiment and simulation. The volume ratio and arrangement of basalt fiber and glass fiber are studied. The influencing factors of
tensile properties, elongation, pseudo ductility stage length, and yield stress reduction of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars
are also revealed. Finally, the optimum fiber ratio range is found through the tensile test, which lays a theoretical foundation for
practical engineering.

2. Experimental programs

2.1. Analysis of basic mechanical properties of hybrid FRP bars

Due to the increase in fiber types and the synergistic effect, the tensile failure mechanism of hybrid FRP composites is more complex
than that of single FRP composites, which is a relatively random process. Because of the different types of fibers, fiber strength has
obvious dispersion and fiber fracture also tends to produce stress concentration. In the failure process of hybrid composites within a
ply, fiber breakage affects the failure of the interface between the fibers and the matrix. As there are many factors to be considered. It is
therefore difficult to study the effect of fiber/matrix interfacial failure on the corresponding concentration and strength of the hybrid
composites within the layers. At present, experimental studies have concluded that the tensile strength of hybrid FRP composites is
closely related to the interfacial shear strength. When the shear strength is low, although the stress concentration is small, the length of
the interfacial damage zone increases. This will result in the fiber not being able to effectively withstand large areas of stress, thus
weakening the reinforcement effect of the fiber. Conversely, if the interfacial shear strength is too large, the stress concentration
increases, which reduces the bearing capacity of the FRP composites. Therefore, the highest tensile strength could be obtained only
when the composites have the best interfacial strength. This problem involves the matching of various fiber, matrix and interfacial
properties. At present, the mixing rule is one of the commonly used methods to predict the strength of hybrid FRP composites. In this
method, the strength of the fibers is assumed to be uniform, and the stress redistribution caused by fiber fracture is not considered. The
ultimate tensile strength of unidirectional hybrid FRP composites can be estimated from the contribution of component phases at
different volume fractions. The final tensile strength σ CU of hybrid FRP composites is given by Eq. 1 [37]:

σCU= σLuVLe+ƐLUEHEVHE (1)

where εLU is the failure strain of low-extension fibers in FRP hybrid composites, VLE and VHE are the volume fractions of low-elongation
and high-elongation fibers, EHE is the modulus of high-extension fibers.
If the hybrid FRP composites consisting of low elongation basalt fibers and high elongation glass fibers satisfies Eq. 2, it is
considered that the hybrid FRP composites could continue to bear all the load when the low ductility fibers is completely broken under

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Fig. 1. Research roadmap for basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars.

axial tensile [38].

Vgfrp≥fbfrp/(fbfrp+fgfrp-σ’H) (2)

where Vgfrp is the volume percentage of glass fibers, fgfrp and fbfrp are the failure stresses of glass fibers and basalt fibers, σH’ is the stress
level of the glass fibers when the basalt fibers is broken.
According to the data provided by the glass fiber manufacturers, the average failure stresses fbfrp of basalt fibers is 1535.41 MPa, the
average value of glass fibers is 1107.54 MPa, and the average stress level of the glass fibers when the basalt fibers is broken is 415 MPa.
According to Eq. 2, the volume fraction of high-extension fibers should exceed 68.9%. Therefore, in this experiment, the content of
glass fibers accounted for 70% and 90%. In addition, the research roadmap of this experiment is shown in Fig. 1. Through the
combination of tensile test and simulation, the mechanism analysis of the tensile properties, elongation properties and failure modes of
basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars under different fiber volume ratios and different fiber arrangements is deeply
investigated.

2.2. Raw materials and production process of B/G hybrid bars

The alkali free E-glass fibers are purchased with Taishan Glass Fiber Co. Ltd., Taishan, China. The basalt fibers are purchased with
Shandong Fiber Glass Group Ltd., Linyi, China. The mechanical properties of these two fibers are shown in Table 1. The production
process of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars is shown in Fig. 2.

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Table 1
Mechanical Properties of FRP Fibers.
Materials Tensile strength (MPa) Tensile modulus (GPa) Rupture Strain (%)

Basalt fiber 3500 120 1.97

Glass fiber 1350 73 3.41
Epoxy resin 52.4 3.51 ≥4

Fig. 2. The production process of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars.

Table 2
Type of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bar.
Type A B C D

Vgfrp:Vbfrp / / 7:3/9:1 7:3/9:1

Basalt fiber placement None Full In core On surface
Cross-section

*Color key: white (glass fiber), black (basalt fiber).

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Fig. 3. Basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars after anchorage.

2.3. Preparation of specimens for tensile tests

The tensile test and sample production are conducted in accordance with ASTM D7205 (Standard Test Method for Tensile Prop­
erties of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composite Bars). The types of bars tested in this experiment include glass fiber bars, basalt
fiber bars and hybrid fiber bars made of glass fiber and basalt fibers according to a certain volume ratio (sandwich hybrid, i.e., C-type
hybrid). There are altogether 6 groups. The bars are extruded at high temperatures using a fibrous epoxy resin. The diameter of bars is
12 mm, and the fiber volume fraction is 70%. The two hybrid fiber bars are made according to the volume fraction ratio of glass fiber
and basalt fiber 7:3 and 9:1, which is shown in Table 2.
In order to avoid the phenomenon of pulling out, crushing, and pulling out the core when the reinforcement is directly clamped on
the chuck of the material testing machine. The end of each specimen is wound with hemp rope and A-B epoxy resin adhesive
anchorage. The length of all samples is 500 mm, and the anchorage length at both ends is 90 mm, which was shown in Fig. 3.

2.4. Experimental equipment and process

As shown in Fig. 4, the tensile test is carried out on the universal hydraulic testing machine (WEW-1000B). At the time of the
experiment, the assessment was performed at a room temperature of 25 ± 3 ◦ C. The data is recorded using a data acquisition system

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Fig. 4. Details of tensile test of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars.

Fig. 5. Damage diagram of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars.

and Lab View software. The camera is used to photograph and record key features, such as the maximum failure mechanism of the
sample. Each specimen is uniformly stretched at a rate of 3 mm/min until fracture.

2.5. Calculation

According to the CSA standard, the tensile strength of each FRP bars is determined by Eq. 3.

Ft=P/A (3)

where Ft is the tensile strength (MPa), P is the maximum tensile load (kN), and A is the cross-sectional area of the reinforcement (mm2).
Similarly, the elastic modulus is calculated using Eq. 4 as follows:

E=(P1-P2)/(Ɛ1-Ɛ2)A (4)

where E is the elastic modulus of the reinforcement; P1 and P2 are the implemented loads at 50% and 25% of the ultimate load,

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Fig. 6. Stress-strain relationship of tensile fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bars.

Fig. 7. Stress-strain relationship of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars (basalt fiber on the outer skin, glass fiber in the inner core): a)
Vgfrp= 70％, b) Vgfrp= 90％.

respectively; ε1 and ε2 are the strain at 50% and 25% of the ultimate load, respectively; A is the cross-sectional area of the sample.
The ultimate elongation is calculated as a percentage by dividing the displacement corresponding to the highest measured load
(mm) by the length of the specimen between the grippers (mm) and multiplying by 100.

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Tensile properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars

The failure diagram of the six groups of specimens is shown in Fig. 5. It can be seen from the diagram that the specimens are all in
the state of filament-bursting during failure. The stress-strain relationship of the samples is linear and showed no signs of failure. Most
of the samples failed at the distance length, but some of them broke at the fixture joint. This is mainly due to fiber damage, dislocation,
sample size, and clamping methods during the manufacturing process. Because the coefficient of variation of the sample is small. In this
study, the comprehensive properties of mixed fiber bars are summarized under the condition that the volume ratio of the two fibers is
unchanged. Therefore, the average value of each group of data is taken for display. The stress-strain relationship between the two FRP
bars is shown in Fig. 6. Firstly, the stress-strain curve of GFRP bars is gentler than that of BFRP bars. The ultimate strain of the former is
1.25% higher than that of the latter, but the ultimate tensile strength of the former is 502.76 MPa lower than that of the latter. The
reason for this difference is mainly that the glass fiber provided by the manufacturer has a higher fracture strain than the basalt fiber.

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Fig. 8. Stress-strain Relationship of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars with different fiber arrangements (Vgfrp=70%): a) glass fiber in the
inner core, b) basalt fiber in the inner core.

The glass fiber fracture strain provided by the manufacturer is 3.41%, while the basalt fiber fracture strain is 1.97%. However, the
tensile strength of basalt fiber is 2150 MPa higher than that of glass fiber. Therefore, after the same specifications of basalt fiber bar and
glass fiber bar are made, the stress-strain line of basalt fiber bar is steeper than that of glass fiber bar [39,40]. The similarity between
the two types of FRP bars shows that in the brittle failure, the yield stage does not happen, which also proves the significance of hybrid
fibers.

3.2. Influence of different fiber volume ratios on the properties of hybrid bars

3.2.1. Different fiber volume ratios

On the basis of previous studies, this paper starts with the experimental study of different fiber volume ratios. The influence of
different volume ratios on the tensile and extensibility properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars is investigated. It is
also verified that hybrid fibers can indeed achieve the effect of pseudo-ductility, as shown in Fig. 7a and Fig. 7b. When the volume
fraction of basalt fiber is 30%, the ultimate strain of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars reaches 2.57% and the yield strength
reaches 1307.01 MPa. When the basalt fiber volume fraction is 10%, the ultimate strain of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite
bars reaches 3.06% and the yield strength reaches 1121.16 MPa. It can be seen that reducing the basalt fiber in the hybrid fiber bars
will enhance the overall elongation of the hybrid fiber bar, but the tensile property will be weakened. From the point of view of
ductility, it is different from pure BFRP bars and pure GFRP bars. When the hybrid fiber bar reaches the yield strength, the stress of the
whole bar does not directly drop to 0 brittle failure. But after the stress drops to a certain value, the whole bar will continue to work.
The pseudo-ductility stage is formed. The main mechanism of this phenomenon is that when the hybrid fiber bar is stretched to a
certain strain, the low-ductility fiber breaks first. The fracture stress is then transferred to the fiber with a higher ultimate strain, which
continues to withstand the tensile stress, resulting in a ductile stage. However, the length of this ductility stage is not fixed, as can be
seen from the figure (the volume ratio of glass fiber to basalt fiber is 9:1) ductility stage is significantly longer than 7:3. It is well proved
that the proportion of high ductility fibers in the total fiber volume fraction is the key to affecting the ductility stage. The difference
between the yield stress and the decreasing stage of yield stress in Fig. 7a is significantly higher than that in Fig. 7b, which is
185.85 MPa and 145.09 MPa, respective. This is mainly caused by the high proportion of high ductility fibers in the hybrid fiber bars of
the former. When the volume fraction of low ductility fibers is small, its failure also has little influence on the yield decline stage of the
overall hybrid fiber bar, so the stress drop difference is small. Conversely, when the volume fraction of low ductility fibers is large, its
failure has an obvious influence on the yield-decreasing stage of the whole hybrid fiber bars. The stress-decreasing difference is large. It
can be seen from the above test data that when the glass fiber volume fraction is 70% and 70–100%, the tensile strength of the former is
1307.01 MPa. The tensile strength of the latter ranges from 964.82 MPa to 1121.16 MPa. The difference between the two ranges from
185.85 MPa to 342.19 MPa. But the elongation is not as good as the latter, the difference is 0.49–0.7%. This is mainly because the
purpose of hybrid fibers is to make up for the deficiency of their respective fiber properties and give play to the advantages of their
respective fiber properties [41–43]. The minimum volume fraction of glass fiber calculated by the above formula is 68.9%. It can be
seen that when the glass fiber volume is 68.9–70% and 70–100%, basalt/glass fibers are mixed. The tensile property of the former is
better than that of the latter, but the elongation property of the latter is better than that of the former. Therefore, it is recommended
that when the basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars are used in the project, the optimal volume fraction of glass fiber is
70–90%. Some scholars at home and abroad have also reached the same conclusion through the tensile test of hybrid fiber bars. From
their test data, it can be seen that different volume ratios do affect the tensile and extensibility properties of hybrid limit bars. Which
fiber accounts for the largest volume fraction, then the hybrid fiber bar will have its corresponding advantages [9,44,45].

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Fig. 9. Stress-strain relationship of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars with different fiber arrangements (Vgfrp=90%): a) glass fiber in the
inner core, b) basalt fiber in the inner core.

Fig. 10. Finite element simulation damage diagram of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars.

3.2.2. Different fiber arrangement

Compared with the difference of fiber volume ratio, the different arrangement of fiber has little effect on the comprehensive
performance of hybrid fiber bars. It could be seen from Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 that the yield strength and ultimate strain of hybrid fiber bars
are slightly greater than the latter when the basalt fiber is on the outer skin. However, it can be clearly seen from Fig. 9 that there is a
significant difference in the length of ductility stage. Therefore, it is suggested that if basalt fibers and glass fibers are mixed, it is best to
arrange the glass fibers in the inner core. You, YJ et al. [46] also found the same conclusion when conducting research on Carbon and
glass fiber hybrid bars. When the outer skin is glass fiber and the inner core is carbon fiber, the ultimate tensile strength is 1331 MPa
and the ultimate strain is 1.6%. When the outer skin is carbon fiber and the inner core is glass fiber, the ultimate tensile strength is
1128 MPa and the ultimate strain is 1.42%. The difference in ultimate tensile strength is 203 MPa and the difference in ultimate strain
is 0.18%. However, You, YJ et al. only studied the effect of fiber arrangement on the tensile and extension properties of hybrid fiber
bars in one volume ratio. This paper proves this conclusion more comprehensively and in detail through various volume ratios.

3.3. Finite element simulation

3.3.1. Damage simulation analysis of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars
A reference state (three-dimensional deformable entity stretching) is first established in the assembly module, and array is carried
out in the assembly module. The above operations are repeated until a solid bar with an inner diameter of 8.4 mm and an outer skin
thickness of 1.8 mm is established. Then, cohesive seam is inserted, and 2-D hashin damage constitutive model is introduced to engraft
properties of the material, including two kinds of fibers and cohesive properties. In the interaction module, it is necessary to coupling
the model and set the general contact. The properties include tangential behavior and normal behavior, so that the model of basalt-
glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars is established. In order to achieve the real effect of axial stretching, one end of the model is
selected to apply constraints and the other end to apply longitudinal displacement. In order to avoid too fast mesh deformation, the
amplitude should be established. In the grid cell type, the maximum drop is set to 0.99, so that the crack will be more obvious and the
error is more minor. Finally, the tensile damage model of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars is shown in Fig. 10.

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Fig. 11. Skin/core interfacial layer debonding initiation, swelling and destruction processes in basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars.

It can be seen that the finite element simulation and experimental results are in good agreement, which verifies the accuracy of the
finite element model. As can be seen from the simulated damage diagram, when the bar is damaged, the fracture surface will present a
state of burst wire. This also confirms the previous conclusion. That is, when the strain reaches the ultimate strain of the low ductility
fiber, the low ductility fiber will break first. The external load is transferred from the low ductility fiber to the high ductility fiber

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Table 3
Composition and pH of basic solutions.
Ca (OH)2 NaOH KOH pH

2.2 g/L 2.5 g/L 19.4 g/L 13.2

through the skin core interface. Since the skin/core interface layer is the weak control layer of the anchoring system, It is easy to shear
failure under the action of external load. Therefore, when the skin/core interface layer is damaged, the external load is all borne by the
inner core fiber, until the fiber in the inner core is completely broken, the entire basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars will bear
the external load.

3.3.2. Mechanism of debonding of the bar skin/core interface layer

The debonding failure mode between the two fibers in basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars is considered. It is different
from single basalt composite and glass fiber composite. When the basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bar is axially stretched, the
failure starts not only from fiber fracture, but also from the debonding of the skin core interface layer. This is mainly due to the different
stiffness of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars body and the core layer, which produces different deformation under the
action of load, resulting in the initial debonding of the skin/core interface layer. With the increasing load, the peeling of the outer skin/
inner core interface is further extended. Therefore, increasing the bonding strength of the outer skin/inner core interface can effec­
tively improve the tensile life of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars. A conclusion can be drawn from the 3D finite element
simulation of the process of interface debonding, expansion and failure in Fig. 11. When the skin/inner interface debonding occurs, the
stress distribution between the skin and inner layer is uneven along both radial and longitudinal lines. The stress near the interface
layer is greater. With the increase of load, the crack of the skin/core interface layer runs through until the two are completely
separated, at which time the stress of the skin/core interface is 0. In addition, it can be found that the shear stress at the skin/core
interface is unevenly distributed. During the initial debonding, the shear stress at the skin/core interface is relatively large and rapidly
expands until it is completely separated.

3.3.3. Prediction of mechanical properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars in alkaline environment
In order to simulate the real alkaline environment, the pH of the alkaline solution is set to be 13.2, and the experimental parameters
for simulating the alkaline environment are shown in Table 3. The model parameters of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars
are the same as those used in Section 3.3.1, so there will be no further elaboration here.
According to the finite element simulation in Fig. 12, the deterioration of tensile properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP
composite bars can be predicted, and the tensile strength decreases by about 10.7% after about 10 weeks. Compared with the previous
literature, it can be seen that the mechanical properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars tend to be stable when the
basalt fiber is used as the outer skin.
There are two reasons: i) Basalt fiber itself has superior alkali resistance, similar to carbon fiber. ii) Basalt fiber is smaller in
diameter, and the diffusion path of alkali solution in basalt fiber layer is more tortuous and longer than that in glass fiber reinforced
plastic layer. From the results of finite element simulation, it can be inferred that the alkali solution penetration deteriorates the fiber-
matrix interface in a single fiber bar. And the deterioration sequence is from the outer surface to the center. The corrosion of basalt-
glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars should occur in the glass fiber near the basalt fiber/glass fiber interface. In future studies, finite
element simulation should be used as a reference to verify the inference of this failure mechanism through experiments.

4. Conclusions and future work

In this experiment, the effects of different fiber volume ratios and different fiber arrangements on the overall properties of basalt-
glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars, including tensile properties and elongation properties are studied. And the damage mechanism
of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars is analyzed in depth by simulation. According to the results, the following conclusions
can be highlighted.

1) Most of the failure modes of the 6 groups are fracture failure, and some are shear failure between fiber interfaces. Different volume
ratios of basalt fiber and glass fiber have effects on tensile properties, elongation, pseudo ductility stage length, and yield stress
reduction of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars. When the glass fiber volume fraction is 70%, the tensile strength of
basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars can reach 1307.01 MPa, which is higher than that when the glass fiber volume
fraction is greater than 70%. When the glass fiber is at 90%, the elongation can reach 3.06%, which is higher than the glass fiber
volume fraction of 68.9~90%. When the glass fiber volume fraction increases, the pseudo-ductility stage length of basalt-glass
fibers hybrid FRP composite bars increases, and the yield stress drop increases.
2) When the volume ratio of basalt and glass fiber changes, the elongation and tensile properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP
composite bars will be affected. When the glass fiber volume fraction is 68.9–70% and 90–100%, the tensile property of the former
is better than that of the latter. This is mainly because the volume fraction of basalt fiber is higher than that of glass fiber, so the
tensile properties of basalt fiber can be played. Again, the extension performance of the latter is better than that of the former. This
is mainly due to the high volume fraction of glass fiber in the mixed fiber bar, which leads to the outstanding advantage of basalt-

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G. Wu et al. Case Studies in Construction Materials 19 (2023) e02391

Fig. 12. Tensile stress cloud of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars.

glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars in terms of high elongation performance. In practical engineering, the corresponding volume
fraction range of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars can be selected according to the actual engineering needs.
3) The arrangement of fibers has no significant effect on the tensile properties and elongation properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid
FRP composite bars. When the glass fibers are in the inner core and basalt fibers are outer, the elongation and ultimate tensile

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G. Wu et al. Case Studies in Construction Materials 19 (2023) e02391

strength is higher than the opposite arrangement. When the two kinds of fibers are mixed, it is recommended to arrange the glass
fibers in the inner core. In addition, basalt fibers could also improve the durability of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars
when it is on the outer skin.
4) Through the finite element simulation, it can be clearly observed that the failure factors of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite
bars are not only the fiber fracture, but also the debonding between the two fibers` interfaces. Therefore, improving the bond
strength between fiber interfaces can improve the overall mechanical properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars
effectively.

In this study, the optimal hybrid volume ratio of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars and the optimal fiber arrangement
are studied in depth. Through the mixture of basalt fiber and glass fiber, the defects of basalt fiber, such as low ductility and poor tensile
properties of glass fiber and easy to be corroded can be remedied. This lays basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars certain
theoretical foundation for the use of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars in subsequent projects. In future studies, the in­
fluence of different environments on basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP composite bars should be further explored. For example, acid,
alkali, salt, humid heat, and other environments. In addition, the fatigue and shear properties of basalt-glass fibers hybrid FRP
composite bars should be further explored, which are closely related to the influencing factors in the actual project.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Data availability

No data was used for the research described in the article.

Acknowledgements

This work is financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province with Grant No. YQ2023E031, the
Fundamental Research Funds for the Central University with Grant No. 3072023CFJ0206, the National Natural Science Foundation of
China (NSFC) with Grant No. 51708092, and the Postdoctoral Research Foundation of China with Grant No. 2018M631894.

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