About the author  ⁄ Antonio Nanni, Ph.D., P.E.

Antonio Nanni, Ph.D., P.E., is Chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering at the University of Miami. Antonio may be reached at nanni@miami.edu.

TMS 402 Appendix D: GFRP- Reinforced Masonry

Updates to the Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures.

The 2022 TMS 402 Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures added Appendix D for glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced masonry. GFRP reinforcement is non-corrosive, non-conductive, and not thermally conductive, so there is no thermal bridging. Due to these properties, GFRP reinforcement is advantageous in the masonry near electromagnetic equipment, such as MRI rooms in hospitals and masonry walls near high-voltage cables and transformers in substations. Other applications include walls exposed to severe environments, such as in coastal construction, seawalls, and chemical plants. The lightweight nature of the GFRP bar, being one-fourth the steel weight, allows for production efficiencies for the contractor and health and safety benefits to workers.

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May, 2023 By and In Articles, Code Updates

Non-Metallic Reinforcement for Concrete

What Structural Engineers Should Know About GFRP Reinforcement

In steel-reinforced concrete (steel-RC) structures, reinforcing steels corrosion reduces the structure’s lifespan and requires expensive repairs. When steel-RC structures are exposed to moisture coupled with chlorides and CO2, concrete deterioration is caused, leading to significant repairs typically after 25 years of service. As the structure ages, major repairs can be expected every ten years until it needs to be replaced, typically after 50 to 75 years of continuous service. Researchers and engineers have been studying corrosion in concrete structures and exploring ways to prevent it. The use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) reinforcing bars was considered in the early 1960s as one potential solution for preventing corrosion in reinforced con-crete. There was a significant development in FRP research, field demonstrations, and commercialization starting in the 1980s and continuing since then.

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Apr, 2023 By , , and In Articles, Structural Specifications

Load Testing of Concrete Structures

Part 2: Test Protocols and Case Studies

As discussed in Load Testing of Concrete Structures – Part 1 (STRUCTURE® magazine, April 2014), load testing can be used to determine the ability of a structure to carry additional loads, to establish the safety of structures, to validate strengthening, to gain knowledge on the behavior of a structure, and to supplement, validate or refine analytical work models. Part 1 discussed different aspects of in-situ load testing including the load test program, methods of load application and instrumentation. Part 2 describes the load test protocols and presents case studies to illustrate the use of in-situ load testing in the evaluation of existing concrete structures. …

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Jun, 2014 By , and In Articles, Structural Testing Comments 3

In-Situ Load Testing of Concrete Structures, Part 1

Rationale, Objectives, and Execution

While it is usually possible to demonstrate the safety of an existing structure through calculations based on general accepted engineering principles, this is not always the case. Sometimes there are structures for which calculations alone may not be sufficient to demonstrate fitness for intended occupancy or use. …

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Apr, 2014 By , and In Articles, Structural Testing Comments 1
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