Study of coaxial connecting methods of FRP rebars with winding fiber cloth composites

FRP rebars are being more and more applied in concrete structures with the promulgation and implementation of relevant standards[1]. Owing to limit in transportation and production, the length of FRP bars produced in the factory is limited. Thus in practical engineering connection of FRP rebars is an unavoidable problem [2]. The splicing, which are suitable for steel rebars, such as welding, pressed sleeve splicing of ribbed steel bars, taper threaded splicing of rebars, parallel thread rebar splicing with cold upsetting end, parallel thread rebar splicing with rolled thread end, molten metal filling the sleeve splicing, etc., are not suitable for FRP rebars. Lap banding splice, although can be applied in the reinforced concrete structures, but it can’t be used under the following conditions according to the code for design of concrete structures [3]: 1) Longitudinal steel rebars of axial tension members and small eccentric tension members; 2) The diameter is bigger than 28mm for tension rebars or bigger than 32mm for compressive rebars; 3) The members need to assess fatigue. This paper presents a coaxial connecting method of FRP rebars with winding fiber cloth composites.