Abstract
With the goal of achieving sustainable design, being able to combine optimized geometries with durable construction materials is a major challenge for Civil Engineering. Recent research at the University of Bath has demonstrated that fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) can be woven into geometrically appropriate cages for the reinforcement of optimised concrete beams. This innovative construction method enables the replacement of conventional steel with non-corrosive reinforcement that can provide the required strength exactly where needed. The manufacturing of the reinforcement is achieved by means of an automated process based on a filament winding technique. Being extremely lightweight, the wound-FRP (WFRP) cages are well suited to speeding up construction processes, as they can be delivered on site ready to be cast. In this paper, the results of flexural tests on optimised full-scale flexibly formed concrete elements are reported and discussed. Two different case studies are taken in consideration: - A structurally optimized joist supporting a lightweight floor; - A structurally optimized beam with an in-situ casting of a concrete floor. The optimization objective is to obtain the minimal mass of concrete required to achieve the structural capacity design requirements from widely recognized design codes. The experimental results demonstrate the reliability of the technical solution proposed and provide the basis of a new concept for sustainable and durable reinforced concrete structures.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Title of host publication | High Tech Concrete |
Subtitle of host publication | Where Technology and Engineering Meet - Proceedings of the 2017 fib Symposium |
Editors | Mladena Lukovic, Dick A. Hordijk |
Publisher | Springer International Publishing |
Pages | 867-876 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9783319594705 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2017 |
Event | 2017 fib Symposium - High Tech Concrete: Where Technology and Engineering Meet - Maastricht, Netherlands Duration: 12 Jun 2017 → 14 Jun 2017 |
Publication series
Name | High Tech Concrete: Where Technology and Engineering Meet - Proceedings of the 2017 fib Symposium |
---|
Conference
Conference | 2017 fib Symposium - High Tech Concrete: Where Technology and Engineering Meet |
---|---|
Country/Territory | Netherlands |
City | Maastricht |
Period | 12/06/17 → 14/06/17 |
Funding
This work is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council under grant EP/M01696X/1. The first author acknowledges the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board for the opportunity of developing part of this research at the University of Miami.
Keywords
- Composites
- Fabric formworks
- Optimisation
- Reinforced concrete
- WFRP
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Architecture
- Building and Construction
- Civil and Structural Engineering