An Experimental Study on Reinforced Concrete Beams with GFRP and Ordinary Steel Bars’ Flexural Strength Properties

Steel reinforcement corrosion is frequently linked to conventional reinforced concrete (RC) constructions. A promising approach for flexural reinforcement is the use of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars. This paper discusses and compares the effect of replacing ordinary steel bars with GFRP bars using the experimental results. The study was based on eight beams under a two-point load test with dimensions (width, height, and length) of 200:250:2400 mm and two types of compressive strength (22 and 45) N/mm2 and four beams for each (f’c). Bottom reinforcement in beams with steel is (2 Ø10mm) replaced by GFRP with an equivalent cross area using different bar diameters (Ø8, Ø10 and Ø12 mm). The study focuses on how samples act and change their behavior in addition to the parameters of deflection, strain, and crack formation by replacing the type of reinforcement, bar diameter, and compressive strength (flexural properties). The results showed that the flexural behavior could be changed by reinforcement replacement, with higher deflection and high load capacity in beams with GFRP, an earlier first crack appearing in the fiber reinforcement, more and wider cracks as compared with steel reinforcement, and finally, the effect of the compressive strength of concrete (f’c) can be considered a negligible factor on the flexural properties.