Recent developments in Polyvinyl-chloride tube filled with concrete

Abstract

This study highlights the recent developments in the use of Polyvinyl-chloride (PVC) in the construction technology. The PVC is a very versatile plastic, resistant to fire (prevents the spread of fire) wear and rupture, with excellent anti-chemicals and anti-corrosion characteristics. The material could be produced with plasticizers (PVC, more flexible) or without (uPVC, more rigid). The thermoplastic polymer is the most widely used polymer for structural concrete applications; either as a simple tube for pour-in concrete or the more complicated Stay-in-place formwork (SIPF) systems. In this study, the structural performance of uPVC-encased concrete (uPEC) used as a compression member is reviewed, for the period start-end of 2020, with emphases on the resistance of these members to the applied axial load. The study is extended to cover the seismic behavior of these confining devices when used in combination with the brittle concrete. Several strength models have been proposed for evaluating the bearing capacity of uPEC columns under monotonic axial compression load. Most of these models are based on limited number of test results and might yield unsatisfactory predictions. On the other hand, the number of models for predicting the strain at peak stress are limited. The main features of these models were reviewed and recommendations presented for future research.