FINITE ELEMENT MODEL FOR NEW CONTINUOUS REINFORCED CONCRETE PAVEMENT (CRCP) USING GFRP BARS

摘要

Substitution of conventional steel reinforcing bars with Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) gives solutions to the problems caused by corrosion of reinforcement. Concrete volume change is known to cause crack development in CRCP in the early age, afterwards, wheel load will be the governing factor for the development and the propagation of further cracks. In this study, the stress levels in the GFRP bars and the displacement in CRCP are predicted by analytical methods. The effects of bar diameters, soil interaction and concrete aggregates have been investigated. Two different computer programs utilizing the finite element method have been used. A design of a CRCP using GFRP reinforcing bars has been proposed. The results revealed that using GFRP bars as reinforcement in CRCP reduces the stress in the reinforcement and increases the displacement. Also, the area of the reinforcement has affected the crack pattern of CRCP. As well, the friction from the pavement sub-base has important effects on the development of the reinforcement's stresses and CRCP displacement. It was concluded that the stress levels in GFRP reinforcing bars and the CRCP displacements of the proposed pavement are shown to be within the design requirements.