CEE Seminar (ZOOM): Durability of FRP Composites for Use in Civil Infrastructure – From Materials to Application

Abstract:  Although fiber-reinforced composite materials have found acceptance for use in civil infrastructure applications, such as in rehabilitation and reinforcement in concrete, there are still concerns related to long-term durability in harsh and changing environmental conditions and after exposure to heat in the form of fire and elevated temperatures seen in some industrial applications. This talk reports on specific studies on long-term exposure of materials used in rehabilitation of bridge and building infrastructure to a range of harsh environmental conditions demonstrating high levels of durability. Materials are characterized using a range of techniques, including DSC, DMTA and mechanical characterization. Results are discussed from both materials and applications perspectives addressing some long-standing myths and providing guidance for field use and design, emphasizing that if processed and used in appropriate fashion, these materials can provide tremendous advantages with relatively low concern regarding degradation below threshold values used in design. 

Bio: Vistasp M. Karbhari is a professor in the departments of civil engineering and mechanical & aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington where he served as the eighth president from 2013-2020. He was previously at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and UC San Diego. Karbhari is a renowned expert in the mechanics and manufacturing of composite materials; durability and degradation of polymers and composites; infrastructure rehabilitation; and multi-threat mitigation. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Academy of Inventors, the American Society of Civil Engineers, ASM International, the International Institute for Fiber-reinforced Polymers in Construction, the International Society for Structural Health Monitoring of Intelligent Infrastructure, and ASCE’s Structural Engineering Institute; he is also an elected member of the European Academy of Science and Arts.