Graduation Semester and Year

2020

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Civil Engineering

Department

Civil Engineering

First Advisor

Nur Yazdani

Abstract

Many studies have investigated the use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) wraps to strengthen structural members, but there is limited literature on the application of presaturated CFRP wraps on reinforced concrete members. The main objective of this research is to study the long-term effectiveness of presaturated CFRP wraps in preventing corrosion of reinforced concrete specimens in severe environments. This paper presents numerical and experimental studies that were conducted to determine whether CFRP presaturated wraps provide a barrier against the ingress of chloride and permeability of water into concrete and thereby decelerate the corrosion process. The results show that the presaturated CFRP laminates, wrapped on high strength and normal strength concrete, provide a stronger barrier against chloride ingress and water permeability than the regular CFRP and control specimens without CFRP. A finite element model was validated with the experimental results, and an extensive parametric study on a typical Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) bridge column was conducted to identify the deterioration level of a CFRP-wrapped column in coastal environments. The results suggested that both regular CFRP and presaturated CFRP-wrapped concrete columns reduce the clear cover and can be used to assess the long-term durability of CFRP-wrapped concrete structures.

Keywords

Pre-saturated CFRP, Durability, Chloride penetration, Water permeability, Diffusion coefficient

Disciplines

Civil and Environmental Engineering | Civil Engineering | Engineering

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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