Bond properties of sand-coated GFRP bars with fly ash-based geopolymer concrete

Bond behavior is an important subject in the design and performance of reinforced concrete structures. In this research, the bond property between sand-coated glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars, a corrosion-resistant substitute to steel bars, and fly ash-based geopolymer cement (GPC) concrete, a more environmental friendly alternative to ordinary portland cement (OPC) concrete, is investigated. Pullout test specimens containing GFRP bars embedded in GPC and OPC concrete cylinders with 100-mm diameter and 170-mm height were prepared. Three different embedment lengths were tested: three, six, and nine times the bar diameter. Average concrete compressive strengths of approximately 25 and 45 MPa and GFRP bar diameters of 12.7 and 15.9 mm were the other test parameters. For each specimen, the test results include the bond failure mode, the average bond strength, the slip at the loaded and free end, and the bond-slip relationship curves. The test results showed that GFRP-reinforced GPC concrete has similar bond strength as that of GFRP-reinforced OPC concrete. The increase in embedment length resulted in the decrease of the bond strength as well as a change in the failure mode of the specimens. Furthermore, the experimental results were used to generate a constitutive bond-slip law. Finally, finite-element modeling is performed by using the constitutive bond-slip law to investigate strain and bond distribution along the embedment length of the bar.