Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Bars as Shear-Friction Reinforcement for Concrete Cold Joints.

Interface shear transfer is vital to maintain the structural integrity of concrete composite elements. Therefore, shear connectors are provided at the concrete joint interface to maintain such integrity. Due to its high tensile strength and non-corrodible nature, glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforcement can be used as shear connectors in composite elements, particularly those in harsh environments. Fifteen pushoff specimens were constructed and tested to failure. The specimen consisted of two L-shaped concrete blocks cast at two stages to provide the cold joint interface. The test parameters were the type, shape, and ratio of shear-friction reinforcement and concrete strength. It was demonstrated that GFRP-reinforced concrete RC) specimens with reinforcement ratios of 0.36% or more could resist the shear-friction stresses similarly to their steel-RC counterparts. Also, increasing the concrete strength increased the shear-friction capacity significantly. Moreover, the design model in the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code resulted in very conservative predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]