Bond Strength of CFRP and Steel Bars in Concrete at Elevated Temperature

Novel concrete elements are emerging utilizing high performance self-consolidating concrete (HPSCC) reinforced with high-strength, lightweight, and non-corroding carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) prestressed reinforcement. The fire performance of these elements must be understood before they can be used with confidence. In particular, the bond performance of the novel CFRP reinforcement at elevated temperatures requires investigation. This paper examines the bond performance of a specific type of CFRP tendon as compared with steel prestressing wire. The results of transient elevated temperature bond pullout and tensile strength tests on CFRP tendons and steel prestressing wire are presented and discussed, and show that bond failure at elevated temperature is a complex phenomenon which is influenced by a number of interrelated factors, including the type of prestressing, degradation of the concrete, CFRP, and steel, differential thermal expansion, thermal gradients and stresses, release of moisture from the concrete, and loading. It is shown that CFRP tendons are more sensitive to bond strength reductions than to reductions in tensile strength at elevated temperature.