Durability Prediction for GFRP Reinforcing Bars Using Short-Term Data of Accelerated Aging Tests

TLDR

The study develops and verifies an Arrhenius‑based procedure to predict long‑term durability of GFRP reinforcing bars from short‑term accelerated aging data. The method involves exposing GFRP bars to simulated concrete pore solutions at 20–60 °C, measuring tensile strengths before and after exposure, and applying a modified Arrhenius analysis to assess accelerated‑aging validity and predict long‑term performance. The accelerated test and prediction procedure proved reliable for assessing durability of FRP composites in concrete environments.

Abstract

This paper presents a procedure based on the Arrhenius relation to predict the long-term behavior of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars in concrete structures, based on short-term data from accelerated aging tests. GFRP reinforcing bars were exposed to simulated concrete pore solutions at 20, 40, and 60°C. The tensile strengths of the bars determined before and after exposure were considered a measure of the durability performance of the specimens. Based on the short-term data, a detailed procedure is developed and verified to predict the long-term durability performance of GFRP bars. A modified Arrhenius analysis is included in the procedure to evaluate the validity of accelerated aging tests before the prediction is made. The accelerated test and prediction procedure used in this study can be a reliable method to evaluate the durability performance of FRP composites exposed to solutions or in contact with concrete.