Towards Understanding the Behaviour of FRP-Reinforced Structures under Changing Climate Trends

Fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) have become an attractive solution to make infrastructure corrosion- and disaster-resistant. Cities like Toronto have numerous structures and bridges already retrofitted with FRP and many more underway. However, FRPs effectiveness and and durability is sensitive to extreme thermal conditions, which can cause significant mechanical and durability issues. Climate change, one of the biggest challenges facing the planet today, is causing more frequent and severe weather events, such as rising service temperatures, heat waves and extreme temperature variation cycles, endangering the current infrastructure. Thus, the long-term impact of these unavoidable new temperature trends on FRP-reinforced structures needs to be better understood and evaluated. To that effect, in the proposed study, numerous FRP-reinforced specimens will be constructed and tested to investigate the effects of the rising temperatures and temperature cycles on bond performance, strength and ductility of FRP-reinforced members. The finding will not only help the industry partners to improve the quality of their FRP products to be durable against heat waves and temperature swings but will also provide the necessary data required to update Canada’s FRP codes to be more Climate-Resilient.

Faculty Supervisor:

Shamim Sheikh

Student:

Partner:

Fiberline Composites Canada Inc;University of Toronto

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Toronto

Program: