Flexural Behavior of Concrete Beams Reinforced with Low- or High-Ductility Geogrid

The deterioration of non-structural concrete elements in harsh environments is a major issue for Canada’s cold regions. With conventional steel reinforcements being prone to corrosion and due to climate change-induced projected alteration in temperature, precipitation, and freeze–thaw patterns, the use of more durable reinforcing materials to avoid premature cracking in non-structural concrete components is desirable. In this paper, we investigate through mechanical testing the potential advantages of utilizing either low-ductility fiberglass grids with stiff polymeric coating or high-ductility polymeric geogrid as reinforcing layers to reduce crack opening and increase the flexural performance of plain concrete beams. A total of nine concrete beams with dimensions of 550 × 150 × 150 mm were thus prepared and tested under four-point bending, and their flexural behaviour was monitored in terms of load–deflection relationship, energy absorption capacity, and failure modes. Test results indicate that the use of stiff polymer-coated fiberglass reinforcement can significantly improve the flexural capacity of plain concrete compared to their polymeric counterparts. Similarly, it was observed that fiberglass-reinforcing solutions also provided superior resistance to cracking and post-cracking in comparison with control (plain) beams.