Review on Local Buckling of Hollow Box FRP Profiles in Civil Structural Applications

Abstract

Hollow box pultruded fibre-reinforced polymers (PFRP) profiles are increasingly used as structural elements in many structural applications due to their cost-effective manufacturing process, excellent mechanical properties-to-weight ratios, and superior corrosion resistance. Despite the extensive usage of PFRP profiles, there is still a lack of knowledge in the design for manufacturing against local buckling on the structural level. In this review, the local buckling of open-section (I, C, Z, L, T shapes) and closed-section (box) FRP structural shapes was systematically compared. The local buckling is influenced by the unique stresses distribution of each section of the profile shapes. This article reviews the related design parameters to identify the research gaps in order to expand the current design standards and manuals of hollow box PFRP profiles and to broaden their applications in civil structures. Unlike open-section profiles, it was found that local buckling can be avoided for box profiles if the geometric parameters are optimised. The identified research gaps include the effect of the corner (flange-web junction) radius on the local buckling of hollow box PFRP profiles and the interactions between the layup properties, the flange-web slenderness, and the corner geometry (inner and outer corner radii). More research is still needed to address the critical design parameters of layup and geometry controlling the local buckling of pulwound box FRP profiles and quantify their relative contribution and interactions. Considering these interactions can facilitate economic structural designs and guidelines for these profiles, eliminate any conservative assumptions, and update the current design charts and standards.

Experimental and Numerical Study of Adhesively and Bolted Connections of Pultruded GFRP I-Shape Profiles

“…All together, these facts seem to indicate that the adhesive installation of the flange connection did not work for the described experimental campaign. In addition, adhesive connections were always associated with fragile debonding failure types (see Table 8 and Figure 3 ), in accordance with existing literature (see [ 25 , 26 ]), whereas bolted connections reached the local failure of the GFRP profile at the web-flange edge as reported by other researchers (see [ 8 , 14 , 15 ]) who studied this phenomena concluding that the roving-rich area in the web-flange junction was the base cause of this response.…”

“…Among FRP production technologies, pultrusion [ 7 ] is a consecutive process aimed to produce FRP longitudinal elements with constant cross-sections, by means of using continuous roving soaked with resin ad heated to cure them. Regarding the type of pultruded FRP elements, Alhawamdeh et al [ 8 ] reported the I-shape profiles were the most used ones. Pultruded FRPs have several advantages apart from the general ones directly associated with FRP materials (including corrosion resistance, high strength to weight ratio and durability).…”

“…Because of the roving-rich core at the heart of the web-to-flange junction, shear failure of this area is likely according with the experimental results reported by Turvey et al [ 14 ] and Fascetti et al [ 15 ]. In the same line, Alhawamdeh et al [ 8 ] focused on the local buckling failure of I-section pultruded profiles identifying the web-to-flange area as the most critical one. In order to limit this problematic, Górecki et al [ 16 ] proposed a sinusoidal-shaped web definition, which proved to be really effective.…”

Effects of the Pre-Consolidated Materials Manufacturing Method on the Mechanical Properties of Pultruded Thermoplastic Composites

“…Pultrusion is claimed to be the most efficient process for the production of thermoplastic FRP composites with constant cross sections [ 9 ]. Composite profiles of various cross sections (flat laminates, hollow box, I-, U-, C-, L-, and T-shape profiles) are widely used in various sectors of industry—transportation [ 10 ], aerospace [ 11 , 12 ], marine construction [ 13 ], civil engineering, and architecture [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Moreover, due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent corrosion resistance, FRP composite bars have gained engineers’ attention as a possible substitute for steel bars used in reinforced concrete structures [ 18 , 19 ].…”

In Situ Thermoset Cure Sensing: A Review of Correlation Methods

“…Advanced thermoset polymer composites are implemented in a variety of industries, such as in civil [ 1 , 2 ] and energy [ 3 , 4 , 5 ] and in recreational and naval marine applications [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ] as well as in performance automobiles [ 11 , 12 ] and in aerospace applications [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. The adoption of thermoset materials has increased in recent years due to the tailorability of part properties and wide variety of manufacturing techniques and achievable geometries.…”