Long-term deflection prediction of concrete members reinforced with glass fibre reinforced polymer bars

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of the long-term deflection behaviour of concrete shallow beams reinforced with glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars. The long-term deflections of the GFRP-reinforced beams are compared to deflections of identical beams reinforced with steel bars. All beams were under sustained loading for approximately 8 months. The variables were the level of sustained loading and the reinforcement materials: steel or GFRP. The experimental immediate and long-term deflections of both the steel- and the GFRP-reinforced beams were compared to calculated deflections using the CEB-FIP Model Code 1990, and the ACI 318-95 code using the recommendations of ACI Committee 209; these references are for steel reinforced concrete members. The test results indicate that under similar loading conditions and the same reinforcement ratio, the GFRP-reinforced beams had long-term deflections, due to creep and shrinkage, 1.7 times greater than those of the steel-reinforced beams. A comparison of the theoretical and experimental immediate and long-term deflections indicates that the CEB-FIP Model Code 1990 gives reasonable predictions for all beams, and that the ACI 318-95 code, using the ACI Committee 209 recommendations, overestimates the deflections due to the combined effects of creep and shrinkage.Key words: glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP), steel, reinforced concrete, long-term, deflections, flexure, elastic modulus.