Self-Diagnosis of Fracture in CFGFRP Composites and CFGFRP-Reinforced Concrete

Abstract

CFGFRP (carbon fiber-glass fiber reinforced plastics) composites are found to be promising materials for self-diagnosis of fracture in the present paper. When the carbon fiber tows fractured, the electrical resistance of CFGFRP composites increased largely, and afterwards CFGFRP composites were able to resist the load due to the presence of the glass fiber tows. Large changes in the electrical resistance of CFGFRP composites during and after loadings are very useful phenomena for foreseeing the fracture by self-diagnosis. The property of self-diagnosis of the fracture of CFGFRP composites was controllable by selecting the type of the carbon fibers with different ultimate elongations. In the application of this method, changes in the electrical resistance of CFGFRP-reinforced concrete were measured during and after loadings. Also, the information on the position of fracture by the self-diagnosis was attainable by the arrangement of CFGFRP composites. A method based on monitoring the changes in the electrical resistance is a promising method for foreseeing the fracture of the CFGFRP-reinforced concrete by self-diagnosis.