Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Basalt Fibre Reinforced Polymer Lamellas for Renovation of Concrete Structures

The level of energy consumption in renovation activities of buildings has huge advantages over the demolition of old buildings and the construction of new structures. Such renovation activities are usually associated with the simultaneous strengthening of their elements, such as externally bonded carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) lamellas or sheets on vertical and horizontal surfaces as structural reinforcements. This means the process of refurbishing a building, as well as the raw materials themselves have a significant impact on CO2 emissions and energy consumption. This research paper demonstrates possibilities of replacing state of the art, highly energy-intensive CFRP lamellas with basalt fibre reinforced plastics as energy-efficient structural reinforcements for building constructions. The mechanical and thermal properties of basalt fibre reinforced polymer (BFRP) composites with variable matrix formulations are investigated. The article considers macro- and microstructures of innovative BFRP. The investigations focus on fibre-matrix interactions with different sizing formulations and their effect on the tensile strength, strain as well as modulus of elasticity.

Automated summary

This research explores the possibility of using basalt fiber reinforced plastics as energy-efficient structural reinforcements in building constructions, replacing highly energy-intensive carbon fiber reinforced polymers. The study investigates the properties of basalt fiber reinforced polymer composites with different matrix formulations.