Numerical Modeling Of Gfrp Bar-Reinforced Concrete Slabs-On-Ground Subjected To Concentrated Loads At The Edge And Corner

Major advances in the utilization and standardization of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars as reinforcing material in structural members were witnessed in the past two decades.Due to the properties of GFRP bars, such as the linear stress-strain response, a brittle mode of tensile failure, and concrete-GFRP bond behavior, there is a substantial need for experimental data and numerical analyses to characterize the behavior of GFRP bars embedded in concrete structural members.Addressing this requirement, this study focuses on the punching shear capacity of GFRP bar-reinforced concrete slabs-on-ground which is primarily designed for shrinkage and crack width control, through experimental studies and numerical investigations in ABAQUS.This study fills the gap in the state-of-the-art by reporting the outcomes of numerical parametric studies conducted to examine the performance of GFRP bar-reinforced concrete slabs-on-ground subjected to center, edge, and corner loads.The numerical model developed in this study was calibrated based on the load-displacement responses of the specimens from the experimental program.Upon validation, parametric studies were conducted to investigate the influence of variables such as concrete strength, reinforcement ratio, and rebar grid location, and a comparison with existing design equations in standards and literature was made. INTRODUCTIONSlabs-on-ground are used extensively in structures such as industrial floors, walkways, storage areas, and stormwater channels.These slabs are generally subjected to both environmental and structural loads from