The Effect of Various Test Configurations on the Bond Strength of Sand-Coated GFRP Bars

This paper aims to determine the effect of various test configurations on the bond behaviour of sand-coated GFRP (Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymers) reinforcement embedded in concrete. The bond strength was tested using ordinary centric pull-out tests (by ACI 440.3), modified pull-out tests with eccentrically placed bars, and beam tests (following RILEM). The obtained results confirmed the effectiveness of the tested sand-coated surface treatment. However, a significant effect of the test configuration on the bond stress was observed. The thickness of the concrete cover layer also had a significant effect on bond strength.