CHARACTERIZATION OF GFRP PULTRUDED BOX BEAMS UNDER STATIC AND FATIGUELOADS

This paper describes the performance of closed glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) box beams under cyclic bending loads. Eighteen tests we re conducted to monitor the stiffness degradation and failure patterns . Excellent correlation between the theory (developed at West Virginia University) and the experimental static results was observed. Test re sults showed that shear and interfacial slip between adjacent layers h ave a significant influence on deflection and strain measurements, res pectively. Therefore, the need to properly account for these factors i n the theory is emphasized in this paper Development of an analytical model for fatigue was not possible at this stage of the research progr am. Additional testing of specimens under fatigue loads was needed in order to collect more test data before finalizing a fatigue model for GFRP box beams. Web-flange junction was observed to be the principal l ocation of fatigue failures. Therefore, it is suggested that fatigue p erformance of box sections could be enhanced by making certain modific ations, including fiber continuity between the flange and the web.