| A significant demand exists for stronger, more durable structural members for applications like marine piles and highway structures where aggressive chemicals quickly deteriorate traditional reinforced concrete and steel members. Concrete filled fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) tubes are a promising technology for such applications because they are strong, highly resistant to aggressive chemicals, and have service lives far longer than traditional materials.; This project investigates the structural behaviour of cylindrical concrete filled FRP tube members. An experimental program was performed to study the behaviour of two types of members subjected to axial loads, bending moments, and combinations of axial loads and bending moments. An analytical model was developed to predict the behaviour, and verified with the experimental results. The model incorporates calculations of FRP laminate effective elastic properties, evaluation of a variable confinement concrete stress-strain relationship depending on axial load eccentricity, determination of cross-section force and moment equilibrium using a numerical integration approach, and calculations for member deflection.; Further research on concrete filled FRP tube members will lead to the development of a wide knowledge base upon which design guidelines for the technology will be developed. Concrete filled FRP tube members will be a viable alternative to conventional timber, reinforced concrete, and steel members in the infrastructure of the future. |
