Long-Term Compression Performance of a Pultruded GFRP Element Exposed to Concrete Pore Water Solution

A durability study was performed on a pultruded glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) compression element of a hybrid GFRP/steel joint for concrete structures. GFRP elements were immersed in alkaline pore water solutions of different temperatures during 18months. Moisture uptake occurred very quickly, within a few days, mainly through a wicking effect along the fiber/matrix interfaces and matrix cracks. The loss of matrix stiffness due to...