Experimental Study on Anchoring Performance of Wedge Anchorage for Prestressed Basalt Fiber‐Reinforced Plastics Laminates

ABSTRACT This study investigates the anchorage technique for prestressed basalt fiber‐reinforced plastics (BFRP) laminates in reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The elastic modulus of fiber‐reinforced plastics (FRP) laminates is identified as a key factor influencing stress distribution and peak values in the anchorage zone. A BFRP laminate wedge anchorage system with weakened wedges is proposed to address the challenges associated with anchoring low‐modulus FRP laminates. The effects of wedge material, anchorage length, wedge slope angle, and laminate thickness on anchorage performance are examined through experimental testing. Finite element method (FEM) analysis is conducted to study stress distribution under different anchorage conditions. Results show that low‐modulus laminates experience greater lateral deformation, leading to pronounced “end effects” and reduced anchorage efficiency. Anchorages designed for high‐modulus laminates are ineffective for low‐modulus laminates and are prone to splitting failures. Experimental findings reveal that reducing wedge modulus and increasing anchorage length significantly improve anchorage efficiency. By optimizing the degree of wedge weakening, anchorage efficiency increases from 70% to 100%. FEM analysis further confirms that weakened wedges reduce peak stress concentrations and relieve lateral deformation, shifting the stress peak toward the laminate center and enhancing anchorage performance.