Durability of glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic polypropylene composite bars under the coupling effect of seawater and sea sand concrete environment and sustained bending

The long-term interfacial shear strength (IFSS) and flexural strength of GFPP bars under the coupling effect of bending and immersion in the simulated seawater and sea sand concrete (SWSC) solution were studied by an acceleration experiment. Three temperatures and three bending stress levels (0%, 9.8%, and 29.4% of the maximum flexural strain of GFPP bars) were used to accelerate the experiment. Results indicate that the degradation of mechanical properties of GFPP bars is relatively sensitive to the immersion temperature. Low bending stress did not accelerate the degradation of GFPP bars compared with unbent GFPP bars while high bending stress dramatically accelerated the degradation. Microscopic tests found there is corrosion of glass fibers and debonding between glass fibers and polypropylene but no obvious chain breaks of polypropylene occurred. Based on the Arrhenius theory, long-term stable retention rates of the IFSS of GFPP bars with zero and low bending stress immersed in the simulated SWSC solution are 42.4% and 52.3%.HighlightsLow-stressed GFPP bars degraded similarly or even slower than unbent GFPP bars.GFPP bars degraded mainly due to interfacial debonding and fiber corrosion.Long-term IFSS of GFPP bars under a coupling effect was predicted. Durability tests and characterization of GFPP bars under the coupling environment.image

Automated summary

This study investigated the long-term interfacial shear strength (IFSS) and flexural strength of GFPP bars under the coupling effect of bending and immersion in a simulated seawater and sea sand concrete (SWSC) solution. The results showed that the mechanical properties of GFPP bars degraded more significantly with higher immersion temperature and bending stress. Microscopic tests identified corrosion of glass fibers and debonding between glass fibers and polypropylene as the main causes of degradation.