Fatigue and Hygroscopic Performance of Injected Bolted Connectors in GFRP Sandwich Web Core Panels
Angeliki Christoforidou (TU Delft - Steel & Composite Structures)
Abishek Baskar (TU Delft - Steel & Composite Structures)
Marko Pavlovic (TU Delft - Steel & Composite Structures)
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Abstract
The durability and fatigue performance of bridge components are critical factors in their long-term viability. This study investigates the experimental results of fatigue tests on injected Steel Reinforced Resin (iSRR) connectors, a promising connection technology for Glass Fibre Polymer (GFRP) composite decks in bridge construction. This research expands on previous work by examining the impact of environmental exposure on the cyclic performance of iSRR connectors. A total of twelve iSRR connectors were subjected to fatigue testing. Two connectors were exposed to outdoor conditions for one year, two connectors were fully submerged in water, and four connectors served as reference specimens without aging. The experiments aimed to evaluate the fatigue resistance and performance degradation of the connectors under varying environmental conditions. Additionally, the cyclic loading was conducted with varying R-ratios to understand the influence of load ratio on the fatigue life of the connectors. The specimens were loaded until failure, and a detailed analysis of the failure modes was conducted to determine the impact of environmental exposure and the load ratio on the failure characteristics of the connectors. The findings provide insights into the effects of environmental exposure on the fatigue performance of iSRR connectors and contribute to the development of more durable and reliable connection technologies for GFRP composite decks.