INNOVATIVE FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITE TENDON ANCHORAGES

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PHASE I RESEARCH IS TO IDENTIFY DESIGNCONCEPTS AND MATERIALS FOR FIBER REINFORCED PLASTIC (FRP) TENDON ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS IN POST-TENSIONED, PRESTRESSED CONCRETE STRUCTURES. FIBER REINFORCED PLASTIC TENDONS AND RELIABLE ANCHORS ARE NEEDED TO CREATE CORROSION FREE PRESTRESSED STRUCTURES RESULTING IN REDUCED MAINTENANCE COSTS AND AN INCREASED SERVICE LIFE FOR BRIDGE STRUCTURES. NEW INNOVATIVE FRP TENDON ANCHOR DESIGNS SHOULD PROVIDE RELIABLE AND SUFFICIENT STRENGTH FOR CONCRETE STRUCTURES, MINIMIZE THE LATERAL COMPRESSIVE LOAD ON BOTH THE FIBER STRAND AND THE INTERFACIAL SHEAR BETWEEN FIBER AND MATRIX, AND MAXIMIZE THE TENSILE LOAD ON THE FIBER. THE ANCHOR MATERIALS SHOULD POSSESS THE APPROPRIATE MECHANICAL, PHYSICAL, AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES FOR LONG-TERM STABILITY FOR A VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. THE RESEARCH APPROACH DESCRIBED HEREIN INCLUDES IDENTIFYING DESIGN CONCEPTS AND MATERIALS WHICH HAVE POTENTIAL FOR USE IN THE FRP TENDON ANCHORAGE SYSTEM, FABRICATING ANCHOR SPECIMENS, AND PERFORMING FATIGUE EVALUATION FOR ANCHOR CONCEPT VERIFICATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FINALLY-SELECTED DESIGNS WILL BE RECOMMENDED FOR FURTHER STUDY DURING THE PHASE II EFFORT.