Abstract
This project has made progress towards the development of a novel alternative reinforcement technique for concrete structures with complex geometries, which are difficult to reinforce with conventional steel. Fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) are woven into geometrically appropriate reinforcement cages to provide the required strength exactly where it is needed. Automated fabrication of the reinforcement utilises a modification of the filament winding technique. Being extremely lightweight, the resulting wound-FRP (W-FRP) cages are well suited to automation of the construction process, as they can be delivered ready for casting in optimized concrete elements. This is a key advance in research progress towards achieving minimum embodied energy, optimised, concrete structures. Experimental tests conducted on full-size W-FRP reinforced concrete beams demonstrate the reliability of the solution proposed, showing a new frontier for sustainable and durable reinforced concrete structures.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 40 - 47 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Volume | 2017 |
| No. | 5 |
| Specialist publication | Concrete Plant International |
| Publication status | Published - 5 Oct 2017 |