Structural Response of Concrete Flexural Members Reinforced with GFRP Bars: Sustainable Development Approach

The glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bar has become a practical alternative construction material for replacing steel bars as reinforcement in concrete structures. The innovative properties of this bar, such as corrosion resistance, high tensile strength to weight ratio, and electromagnetic transparency, are the main characteristics that are attractive to the construction industry and structural engineers. The brittleness of GFRP bars significantly reduces the ductility of concrete beams. The present study attempts to understand the structural response of concrete beams reinforced with GFRP bars. Understanding the overall behaviour of GFRP as internal reinforcement replacing steel bar is essential to be used as a sustainable material, which will enhance the life span of the concrete structure. The modes of failure were observed. The results of load–deflection characteristics are discussed. The crack pattern of the GFRP beams under loading is also reported. It is recommended to design the beams as the over-reinforced section to avoid sudden failure. Designing the beams as over-reinforced sections will increase the stiffness of the beams. Results of experimental studies and analytical studies are compared. A sustainable development approach for concrete structures using GFRP reinforcement is discussed.