On the structural performance of concrete filled FRP tubes in flexure

This paper describes a collaborative work between the University of Manitoba and the University of Bologna. The aim was to study the structural performance of hybrid GFRP/concrete structural members subjected to flexure. The main parameters considered in the experimental analysis carried out in Canada were the material type and laminate structure of the GFRP tubes filled with concrete, in comparison to the behavior of hollow tubes. The diameter-to-thickness ratio, the size effect, and the surface preparation were also investigated. Extending the study, the behavior of the beams is discussed once more in terms of the load-deformation responses and strain distributions along the cross-sections. Finally, an analytical model is developed and the data are compared to the experimental results obtained an the University of Manitoba