Description
Prestressed concrete members are widely used around the word for making different types of structures, from bridges to tall buildings. Steel strands are generally employed to apply a compression force into the concrete. Recently, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite bars have been considered for replacing traditional steel strands in specific applications. The main advantage of FRP bars is their resistance to corrosion. Furthermore, they have a higher tensile strength-to-weight ratio and fatigue resistance compared to steel strands. Although using prestress FRP bars may entail for advantages over traditional steel solutions, the anchorage system is an open issue for this technology. Indeed, the anchorage should guarantee a high level of tensile stress into the bar and, at the same time, avoid local ruptures.
In this paper, the results of an experimental campaign comprising tensile tests of FRP bars with different anchors are reported and discussed. The experimental campaign was conducted to investigate the effect of wedges on the tensile behavior and on the type of rupture of FRP bars. Tensile test results and the modes of failure are discussed, shedding light on the main parameters that affect the mechanical behavior of the bars considered.
