Mechanical properties of fibre reinforced polymers under elevated temperatures: An overview

Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite is one of the most applicable materials used in civil infrastructures, as it has been proven advantageous in terms of high strength and stiffness to weight ratio and anti-corrosion. The performance of FRP under elevated temperatures has gained significant attention among academia and industry. A comprehensive review on experimental and numerical studies investigating the mechanical performance of FRP composites subjected to elevated temperatures, ranging from ambient to fire condition, is presented in this paper. Over 100 research papers on the mechanical properties of FRP materials including tensile, compressive, flexural and shear strengths and moduli are reviewed. Although they report dispersed data, several interesting conclusions can be drawn from these studies. In general, exposure to elevated temperatures near and above the resin glass transition temperature, T_g, has detrimental effects on the mechanical characteristics of FRP materials. On the other hand, elevated temperatures below T_g can cause low levels of degradation. Discussions are made on degradation mechanisms of different FRP members. This review outlines recommendations for future works. The behaviour of FRP composites under elevated temperatures provides a comprehensive understanding based on the database presented. In addition, a foundation for determining predictive models for FRP materials exposed to elevated temperatures could be laid using the finding that this review presents.