Conventional vs. reinforced resin injected connectors’ behaviour in static, fatigue and creep experiments on slip-resistant steel-FRP joints

Due to constantly increasing traffic loads and ageing infrastructure, innovative materials for implementation in renovation new bridge construction projects are gaining attention. One such innovation is hybrid structures consisting of Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composite decks connected a steel girder(s) superstructure. By combining the stiffness provided by members with superior fatigue endurance strength weight ratio FRP, properties both can be efficiently exploited. The main restriction steel-FRP lies lack knowledge efficient technical solutions connection between two materials. Adhesively bonded grouted connections have been identified as possible systems, whereas limited research has performed on bolted connections. To address this gap, paper discusses an experimental investigation into performance types slip-resistant connectors, namely conventional resin injected bolts novel connector system developed at TU Delft comprising reinforced (iSRR). Connectors’ evaluated means long-term (sustained cyclic) short-term experiments shear load. A single-lap joint configuration used compare types. vacuum infused GFRP multi-directional laminated plate, 20 mm thick, plates M20 bolts. Results indicate comparable stiffness, resistance ductility experiments. Superior iSRR found 100 times more fully reversed load cycles that needed reach same failure criterion