Overview of sustainable GFRP-concrete beams' shear behaviour

Abstract

Integration of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) in concrete beams presents a promising approach for developing sustainability as a substitute for traditional steel reinforcement. Many empirical and analytical studies are presented in this paper, emphasizing the shear performance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) with GFRP. This work aims to focus on the benefits, challenges, and design considerations associated with GFRP in RC beams. This review is based on findings of the latest investigations, which have explored factors like the ratio of span to depth (a_v/d), the longitudinal reinforcement ratio, concrete compressive strength, the bar diameter and spacing of stirrups. The information taken during the study indicated that GFRP may be utilized as a substitute for steel reinforcement due to their corrosion-free, lightweight, and high tensile strength, which can develop durability. The employment of GFRP increases shear capacity, which may reach 80 % more than beams that did not have stirrups, depending on the bar diameter and spacing between stirrups. On the other hand, GFRP mechanical properties significantly decrease when exposed to high values of pH, which are greater than 10. In addition, challenges such as reduced modulus of elasticity and brittle failure modes are observed, which require careful design considerations. This paper also reviews the number of analytical methods to assess the shear capacity of GFRP-concrete beams.