Abstract
The precast concrete sandwich panel (PCSP) is a popular structural type used for prefabricated construction. In this study, three kinds of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) connector, including a flat plate, a corrugated plate, and a hexagonal tube connector, were investigated for potential use in PCSPs. In-plane direct shear tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of the connectors based on a typical push-out configuration (i.e., three concrete wythes linked with connectors and two rigid foam layers in between). Twenty-five specimens were tested, and the parameters investigated consisted of GFRP laminate thickness, projected length, and shear force direction. The shear force vs. relative slip relationships and failure modes of all types of connector were compared and are discussed in detail in this paper. Meanwhile, finite element (FE) analysis was conducted to reproduce the test results. All three types of GFRP connector exhibited a progressive failure manner in spite of the linear brittle nature of the FRP materials; the corrugated plate connector achieved higher deformability than the flat plate connector, particularly when the GFRP laminate thickness was small; and the hexagonal tube connector exhibited similar behavior along two orthogonal directions, making them well suited for use as two-way connectors. The developed FE model was able to well predict the peak shear load and stiffness of all types of connector based on comparisons with the test results. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 136-147 |
| Journal | Composite Structures |
| Volume | 207 |
| Online published | 20 Sept 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publication details (e.g. title, author(s), publication statuses and dates) are captured on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis at the time of record harvesting from the data source. Suggestions for further amendments or supplementary information can be sent to [email protected].Funding
The authors are grateful for the financial support received from the National Key Research Program of China (Grant No: 2017YFC0703002), the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR (PolyU 152145/17E), the Construction Industry Council, Hong Kong SAR (Project code: K-ZJK2), and the National Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Project No. 51478406 . They are also grateful for the help provided by the Industrial Center at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in manufacturing the GFRP connector.
Research Keywords
- Finite element analysis
- Glass fiber reinforced polymer
- In-plane direct shear test
- Precast concrete sandwich panel
- Shear connector