الفهرس 
LITERATURE REVIEWOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
Abstract
The experimental program of this research focused on studying the behavior of concrete slabs reinforced with imported BFRP-bars and polypropylene fibers added to the concrete mix. This research focused on the application of the BFRP-bars as reinforcement of concrete slabs. The polypropylene fibers were also added to the concrete mix to improve the behavior of the slabs. The experimental program was done at the Materials Testing Laboratory of the Faculty of Engineering Mataria, Helwan University, Cairo by using most of the materials available in the Egyptian market. Using imported BFRP-bars with diameters of 12 mm with a length of 2000 mm.
The experimental program examined the impact of different parameters on the behavior of the concrete slabs. These parameters were:
1. Bars type: Steel, and Basalt fibers.
2. Three reinforcement percentages. (I.e. The slabs are reinforced by 3, or 4, or 5 bars, which give reinforcement ratios of 0.57%, 0.75%, 0.94% respectively).
3. Quantity of polypropylene fibers appended to the concrete mix: (0, 1.5 and 2kg/m3).
5.2 Conclusions
Nine slabs specimens were tested to evaluate the influence of using BFRP-bars instead of the traditional steel reinforcement. Several parameters were considered in this research such as reinforcement ratio, compressive strength and append of the polypropylene fibers to the concrete mix. By analyzing the experimental results, it is concluded that: -
1- Generally, the specimens, reinforced with BFRP-bars, had higher deflection and strain than it of the specimen reinforced with steel and consequently it had lower stiffness.
2- The cracking and ultimate load of the specimens reinforced with BFRP-bars was lower than it of the specimen reinforced with steel.
3- We obtained the highest cracking load of the specimens reinforced with BFRP- bars when increasing the reinforcement ratio from 0.57% to 0.94%. The cracking load of these sample reached 61% of the cracking load of Steel Sample.
4- We obtained the highest ultimate load of the specimens reinforced with BFRP-bars when increasing the amount of polypropylene fibers from 1kg/m3 to 2kg/m3. The ultimate load of these sample reached 99% of the ultimate load of Steel Sample.
5- Adding the polypropylene fibers had a great effect on the mechanical characteristics of the concrete mix for example:
- It led to narrower and more uniformly distributed cracks.
- Reduce the deflection of the specimen, reinforced with BFRP-bars and had 1kg/m3 of polypropylene fibers, by 43% with corresponding to the sample that was reinforced with BFRP-bars and without polypropylene fibers.
- Reduce the strain of the specimen, reinforced with BFRP-bars and had 1kg/m3 of polypropylene fibers, by 56% with corresponding to the sample that was reinforced with BFRP-bars and without polypropylene fibers.
6- The deflections and strains of the slabs were inversely proportional to the amount of the polypropylene fibers added to the concrete mix. Increasing amount of the polypropylene fibers from 1 to 2 kg/m³ by about 100%, decreased the deflection of the concrete slabs by 51% and also decreased the strain of the concrete slabs by 61%.
7- The deflections and strains of the slabs were inversely proportional to the area of the reinforcement of the BFRP-bars used to reinforce these slabs. Increasing the reinforcement ratio from 0.57 to 0.94 by about 65%, decreased the deflection of the concrete slabs by 53% and decreased the strain of the concrete slabs by 60%.
8- Increasing the compressive strength from 25 kN/mm2 to 35 kN/ mm2 the concrete improved the mechanical characteristics of the slabs whereas the ultimate load increased by about 35% and the deflection reduced by about 55%.
9- Sample reinforced with the minimum reinforcement ratio, adding the polypropylene fibers and without increasing the compressive strength of the concrete, achieved results almost equivalent to the steel sample at a cost increase of 60%.
10- According to the previous point, we can overcome the problem of the steel corrosion and saving high costs of periodic maintenance at cost increase of 60% only.
5.3 Recommendations for future work
The following Recommendation for further researches and studies are recommended depend on the outcome of this research:
• More studies may be done with using for another concrete element like columns and beams.
• Study the Shear behavior of concrete slab reinforced with BFRP-bars.
• Study the bond strength between the BFRP-bars and the concrete mix.
• More experimental work may be done with using different Parameters like:
- Using two way slabs.
- Increasing the amount of polypropylene fibers.