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Polymers
Special Issues
Polymer Composites for Structural Strengthening
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Polymer Composites for Structural Strengthening

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2023) | Viewed by 5706

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Theodoros Rousakis

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Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, GR-67 100 Xanthi, Greece
Interests: repair and strengthening of reinforced concrete elements and masonry walls with fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs); three-dimensional dynamic finite element analysis of repaired and strengthened structural elements and structures; resilience upgrade of RC structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Alper Ilki

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Guest Editor
Structural and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory, Civil Engineering Faculty, Istanbul Technical University, 34469 Maslak Istanbul, Turkey
Interests: structural engineering; reinforced concrete structures; masonry structures; seismic retrofit with advanced materials; seismic performance assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Arkadiusz Kwiecień

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Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, Politechnika Krakowska, Krakow, Poland
Interests: concrete reinforcement; laminates
Dr. Matija Gams

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Guest Editor
Chair of Structural and Earthquake Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: earthquake engineering; masonry structures; testing; structural assessment and retrofitting; numerical modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Panagiotis Spyridis

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Guest Editor
Architektur und Bauingenieurwesen, TU Dortmund University, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
Interests: tunnels; fastenings; concrete; reliability; life cycle
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The available innovative materials and intervention techniques—namely externally bonded reinforcements such as fiber-reinforced polymers and polymer resin injection inside cracks—are widely used to rehabilitate structural members (especially reinforced concrete and masonry) in addition to other conventional methods. Polymer-based materials and adhesives are used in structural connections and interfaces as well as in mechanical anchoring. Highly deformable polymer joints are among several innovative techniques aiming to engage different structural components and ensure their desirable interaction toward ductile and safer behavior of the structures.

Successful prediction of the reduced service life of structural systems and timely damage identification are crucial in meeting the required safety and resilience levels. On the other hand, sustainable, durable, and resilient retrofit materials and techniques are of great importance in this task, in which polymers and polymer-based materials are highly involved. Further, advanced multiphysics and multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary modeling and analyses through dynamic or static numerical approaches provide unique insights and facilitate efficient innovative retrofit details while reducing experimental validation costs. Each solution needs to also be realistically evaluated and the effects of various sources of uncertainties mitigated, such as interacting loads and environmental actions or natural hazards, the performance of novel and aging or exposed materials, the predictive accuracy of models used, and the construction quality. Under these circumstances, the structural assessment of the system prior to and after intervention requires techniques and concepts with advanced reliability. This Special Issue aims to provide the engineering community with a collection of high-quality and peer-reviewed papers addressing different aspects of polymer composites for structural strengthening.

Dr. Theodoros Rousakis
Prof. Dr. Alper Ilki
Prof. Dr. Arkadiusz Kwiecień
Dr. Matija Gams
Prof. Dr. Panagiotis Spyridis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • resilience
  • retrofit
  • polymer-based intervention materials
  • polymer composites
  • advanced static and dynamic three-dimensional numerical analytical approaches
  • structural health monitoring
  • damage detection techniques
  • life cycle assessment
  • performance-based design
  • performance indicators
  • safety and reliability
  • fastenings/anchorages

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 7043 KiB  
Article
The Influence of the Flexibility of a Polymeric Adhesive Layer on the Mechanical Response of a Composite Reinforced Concrete Slab and a Reinforced Concrete Beam Girder
by Paweł Szeptyński, Jan Grzegorz Pochopień, Dorota Jasińska and Arkadiusz Kwiecień
Polymers 2024, 16(3), 444; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16030444 - 05 Feb 2024
Viewed by 942
Abstract
This study addresses the challenges of modeling flexible connections in composite structures employing a polymeric adhesive layer. These types of connections provide a more uniform stress distribution compared to conventional rigid connectors. However, they lack standardized design rules and still require much research [...] Read more.
This study addresses the challenges of modeling flexible connections in composite structures employing a polymeric adhesive layer. These types of connections provide a more uniform stress distribution compared to conventional rigid connectors. However, they lack standardized design rules and still require much research to sufficiently comprehend their properties. The novelty of this research lies in proposing an analytical solution to address these issues. Its aim is to investigate the influence of the stiffness of the polymer adhesive on the girder’s deflection and on the maximum stresses in both the adhesive and concrete. The analyzed composite structure consists of a reinforced concrete (RC) slab and an RC beam connected with a layer of flexible polyurethane (FPU) adhesive. Analytical and numerical approaches for the description of the mechanical response of a composite bridge girder are presented. Another objective is to validate the analytical design formulas using 3D nonlinear numerical analysis, both in the case of uncracked and cracked concrete. Seven types of FPUs are tested in the uniaxial tension test, each examined at five strain rates. The obtained data is used to predict the mechanical response of the considered girder using finite element analysis (FEA) as well as with a simplified one-dimensional composite beam theory. Fair agreement is found between the FEA results and theoretical predictions. A comparison of the results obtained for these two models is performed, and the similarities and discrepancies are highlighted and discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites for Structural Strengthening)
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32 pages, 12201 KiB  
Article
Performance of Concentrically Loaded RC Wall-like Columns Upgraded with Innovative Hybrid NSM/CFRP System
by Hussein Elsanadedy, Husain Abbas, Tarek Almusallam and Yousef Al-Salloum
Polymers 2023, 15(2), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15020378 - 10 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1241
Abstract
In RC (reinforced concrete) frame structures, wall-like columns are laid within the space occupied by masonry walls to maximize usable space and thus minimize the column projections into the usable area. These columns often require strengthening owing to various reasons, including increasing the [...] Read more.
In RC (reinforced concrete) frame structures, wall-like columns are laid within the space occupied by masonry walls to maximize usable space and thus minimize the column projections into the usable area. These columns often require strengthening owing to various reasons, including increasing the number of stories, changes in building usage, and others. The use of a hybrid system comprising NSM (near-surface mounted) steel rebars combined with CFRP (carbon-fiber reinforced polymer) laminates may be considered a sound technique for strengthening such wall-like building columns. The prime aim of this study is to devise an efficient scheme using a hybrid NSM/CFRP system to strengthen existing RC wall-like columns. Six half-scale RC wall-like columns were prepared and tested under monotonic concentric axial compression. Two columns were unstrengthened to serve as control specimens (CW1 and CW2), and four specimens were strengthened using four different schemes (SW1, SW2, SW3, and SW4). As favored by architects, all strengthening schemes were designed so that the dimensions of the column cross-section were not increased. The effects of strengthening schemes on the enhancement of axial capacity, energy dissipated, and stiffness were evaluated to find the most efficient scheme. Among the four studied schemes, using vertical continuous NSM rebars in combination with the wrapping of the three CFRP layers onto the exterior column surface (in specimen SW2) was the most efficient as it enhanced the ultimate load capacity by 80%. Three-dimensional FE (finite element) analysis was also conducted to predict the response of test specimens. The test results matched well with the FE outputs, which justified the accuracy of the used constitutive models for concrete, steel rebars, and CFRP sheets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites for Structural Strengthening)
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16 pages, 5827 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Bonding Mechanisms of Various Implants and Adhesives in Laminated Oak-Wood Elements
by Andrija Novosel, Tomislav Sedlar, Josip Miklečić, Hrvoje Turkulin, Luka Lučić, Goran Mihulja and Vjekoslav Živković
Polymers 2022, 14(24), 5373; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14245373 - 08 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1145
Abstract
This study analysed the bonding mechanisms and strength between wood and non-wood implants in producing laminated oak-wood beams. The suitability of different types of adhesives, namely for load-bearing and general purpose, was also analysed. Three different types of non-wood implants—carbon fibres, glass fibres, [...] Read more.
This study analysed the bonding mechanisms and strength between wood and non-wood implants in producing laminated oak-wood beams. The suitability of different types of adhesives, namely for load-bearing and general purpose, was also analysed. Three different types of non-wood implants—carbon fibres, glass fibres, and aluminium were glued with epoxy resin (ER), thermoplastic 1-k polyurethane adhesives (PUR), structural polyurethane adhesives (PUR 2 and PUR 3), and polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) adhesives and bonds were tested for shear strength (SS) according to ISO 6238:2018. Results of the bond quality expressed as the ultimate load to failure and displacement were recorded using the universal mechanical testing machine in combination with the digital image correlation (DIC) method. Before the shear test, all the samples were conditioned in dry and wet climatic conditions. Test results indicated that the application of PUR adhesives for bonding carbon and glass fibres with oak wood could sufficiently replace two-component ER, which is generally recommended for such purposes but is very challenging to utilise in industrial conditions. PVAc adhesives proved efficient only for combination with AL implants and in dry conditions. Aluminium sheets were shown to require surface pre-treatment, such as sanding and degreasing or a different type of adhesive to achieve sufficient adhesion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites for Structural Strengthening)
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16 pages, 5823 KiB  
Article
Restrained Shrinkage of High-Performance Ready-Mix Concrete Reinforced with Low Volume Fraction of Hybrid Fibers
by Hani Nassif, Mina Habib, Adi Obeidah and Mohammed Abed
Polymers 2022, 14(22), 4934; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14224934 - 15 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1672
Abstract
Cracking due to restrained shrinkage is a recurring issue with concrete bridge decks, impacting durability and ultimately service life. Several scholars’ research has proven that the incorporation of fibers in concrete mitigates restrained shrinkage cracking when utilizing high (0.5–3%) fiber volumes. This often [...] Read more.
Cracking due to restrained shrinkage is a recurring issue with concrete bridge decks, impacting durability and ultimately service life. Several scholars’ research has proven that the incorporation of fibers in concrete mitigates restrained shrinkage cracking when utilizing high (0.5–3%) fiber volumes. This often presents a mixing and placement issue when used for ready-mixed concretes, which discourages their use in bridge decks. This study aims to optimize the incorporation of fibers for their benefits while producing concrete that is conducive to ready-mix, jobsite use. A series of tests were performed on a high-performance concrete (HPC) mix which incorporated blended, multiple fiber types (steel crimped, macro polypropylene, and micro polypropylene) while maintaining low total fiber (0.19–0.37%) volume. These “hybrid” fiber mixes were tested for multiple mechanical properties and durability aspects, with a focus on the AASHTO T334 ring test, to evaluate fiber efficiency under restrained conditions. Promising results indicate the use of a low-volume hybrid fiber addition, incorporating a macro and micro polypropylene fiber (0.35% by volume) blend, reduced the cracking area by 16.6% when compared to HPC incorporating a single fiber type, and 39% when compared to nonfibrous HPC control mixture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites for Structural Strengthening)
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