Experimental investigation into the behaviour of continuous concrete beams reinforced with basalt FRP

The durability of reinforced concrete structures is an ongoing challenge for engineers, particularly in harsh environments such as industrial or marine settings. This paper is concerned with continuous concrete beams which are reinforced with basalt fibre reinforced polymer (BFRP) reinforcing bars, rather than traditional steel rebars, to improve the durability. Continuous concrete members are commonly used in bridges and carparks and therefore may be susceptible to corrosion by being a harsh environment or through exposure to de-icing salts. There are increasing levels of interest in structural solutions that offer durability as well as mechanical performance, and in this context, BFRP reinforcement can provide an effective, sustainable, and durable solution. This paper describes an experimental programme comprising four, two-span continuous reinforced concrete beams, containing BFRP rebars and stirrups. The test results are analysed in the paper, with particular focus given to the cracking behaviour, bending capacity, moment redistribution and deflections. The test results are compared with American and Canadian design codes. It is found that both design codes overestimate the cracking moment and sagging bending moment capacity but underestimate the deflections. Furthermore, this research found that BFRP RC continuous beams exhibited at least 20% moment redistribution. The findings from this research suggest that the RC continuous beams can be entirely reinforced with BFRP rebars and stirrups to achieve corrosion free concrete element.

Automated summary

This paper focuses on improving the durability of concrete structures in harsh environments. The research findings show that using BFRP reinforcement can effectively achieve corrosion-free concrete elements.