Análise experimental de vigas de concreto armado com barras de GFRP

Abstract

As an alternative to steel in reinforced concrete structures, glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars stand out, whose main characteristic is corrosion resistance. This study presents a comparison of the design approaches for these elements based on the American Concrete Institute code ACI 440.1R-15, and the Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 17196. In addition, the research aims to experimentally analyze the flexural strength of the beams. Three beams reinforced with GFRP bars were tested, all of which exhibited flexural failure and behavior consistent with the normative models. The maximum loads, ranging from 58.85 kN to 60.37 kN, exceeded the theoretical estimates of the standards, indicating conservatism in the design models. The comparative analysis between the normative models showed good agreement, with differences of less than 2% in load estimates, confirming the consistency of the Brazilian standard in relation to the American code. The experimental results validate the use of GFRP as a viable alternative to conventional steel in structural elements.