Experimental Study on Bond Performance between Concrete and BFRP Bars

The problem of corrosion in reinforced concrete infrastructure can be addressed by using fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars, since they are a feasible alternative due to their non-corrosive nature. Basalt fibre-reinforced polymer (BFRP) bars have recently gained attention as a possible substitute for both of these materials because they are less expensive than Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and have greater tensile strength than Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP). While considerable research has been conducted on CFRP bars and GFRP bars, studies on BFRP are limited, hindering its incorporation into design guidelines. Therefore, in this study, bond behaviour of BFRP bars in concrete is experimentally evaluated. This study concludes that although BFRP bar shows more slip than steel bar, its bond strength is comparable to that of steel bar. It is also found that the bond strength and maximum slippage reduced with an increase in the bars' diameter and embedment length. Furthermore, the bond strength improves as the cover increases. Furthermore, bond strength equations as proposed by ACI 440.1 R15, CSA S806-02, and CSA S6-06 underestimated the experimental bond strength.