Concrete containing coarse aggregate recycled from scrap FRP rebars

Abstract eng:
Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite materials have been increasingly used worldwide in a wide variety of industries. Due to the long service life of these materials, FRP waste management has not been a major concern until the last decade. Considering the environmental, economic, and land-use strains caused by landfilling, and the imposition of more stringent landfilling regulations, it is important to find new applications for the reuse of waste FRP. This paper focuses on the use of waste or scrap Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) materials recycled for use as aggregate for concrete. Commercially produced scrap FRP reinforcing bars were used to produce the aggregates. The bars were produced by the pultrusion process and contained glass fiber rovings in vinylester resins. Concrete test cylinders were produced containing different proportions (measured in percent replacement of the natural aggregate) and different gradations and combinations of pieces of the cut GFRP bars. High strength and a normal strength concrete mixes used. Control specimens containing only granite natural aggregates were also tested. After curing of the test cylinders they were tested to determine their compression strength and split tensile strength using standard test methods. The effect of shape, size, fiber orientation and surface texture of the different recycled GFRP coarse aggregates was investigated. Based on compressive strength data replacement of natural coarse aggregate with recycled GFRP parts it appears that recycled GFRP coarse aggregate could be a viable option for non-structural concrete production. The reduction in the compressive strength was similar to that in conventional Recycled Concrete Aggregates (RCA). The splitting tensile strength was also reduced relative to the control specimens with natural aggregate.

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