HYDERABAD: The Castcon Lab at Indian Institute of Technology - Hyderabad (IITH), led by Professor S Suriya Prakash, has developed hybrid Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars and discrete fibre-based reinforcing solutions for improved performance of concrete members under different loading conditions.
According to a report by the International Zinc Association (IZA), India suffers a loss of 5-7% of its GDP every year due to steel corrosion. With its vast coastline and big metropolitan centres in the coastal regions, the country faces significant hurdles in safeguarding steel reinforcement of concrete buildings and bridges from corrosion.
As a result, GFRP rebars are increasingly being used as an alternative to steel reinforcement due to its non-corrosive, lightweight and non-conductive characteristics. In addition, these characteristics make GFRP rebars durable in corrosive environments, easy to transport and install, and ideal for use in electrical environments such as MRI rooms, rail structures and foundations of transformers and thyristors.
The addition of discrete fibre improves the capacity and ductility of GFRP-reinforced concrete elements. The present research revolves around the effectiveness of different types of macro fibres in concrete with varying dosages.