The effect of mechanical and thermal properties of FRP bars on their tensile performance under elevated temperatures

In this experimental study the effect of physical and thermal properties of various FRP bars on their performance under elevated temperatures are investigated. The parameters included the bars' diameter, type of fiber, type of resin, fiber to matrix ratio, and thermal properties were studied. Moreover, ANOVA (ANalysis Of VAriance) was performed in order to investigate the contribution of each variable on the obtained results. The results showed that in addition to the temperature, the bars' diameter, type of fiber, type of resin, and thermal properties (T_g and T_d) of the FRP bars have contributions to the results, while the fiber to matrix ratio was found to be an ineffective factor. It was also found that the FRP bars experienced significant reductions in their ultimate tensile strength upon exposure to extreme temperatures of up to 450 °C, at which they lost about 50–70% of their reference tensile strength.