| A wide range of experimental tests was performed to determine short-term and long-term characteristics of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) bars. Mechanical properties of BFRP bars such as tensile strength, rupture strain and modulus of elasticity were determined from short-term experimental tests. The mechanical properties then were used to calculate guaranteed properties of BFRP bars according to requirements of American and Canadian design codes. Also, a set of durability tests were performed to study creep rupture behavior of BFRP bars and to find creep rupture coefficient to be used for creep design based on the concrete design codes. After knowing the behavior of the bars, they were used as internal reinforcement of concrete beams. The beams were designed according to available design codes applying the properties obtained from primary tests. Therefore, flexural behavior of concrete beams reinforced with BFRP bars were studied experimentally and then were compared with ACI design code and strain compatibility methods. Regarding the fact that deflection dominates the design of FRP reinforced concrete beams, a new equation was derived for BFRP-RC flexural members to be used for deflection prediction of this type of beams, which could be useful adding to design codes. Finally, BFRP bars were used in design of a seawall structure in order to study the feasibility implementation of BFRP reinforced concrete seawall system instead of currently existing steel reinforce concrete seawalls. |
