FRP-reinforced spun concrete poles in flexure

Spun prestressed concrete poles are commonly placed in severe marine or industrial environments that are conducive to corrosion of the steel reinforcement. Nonmetallic fiber-reinforced-polymer (FRP) materials have been considered as alternatives to steel reinforcement because of their mechanical properties, durability, and corrosion resistance. This paper compares the flexural behavior of spun concrete poles reinforced with three types of reinforcement: carbon-fiber-polymer, glass-fiber-polymer, and conventional prestressing steel reinforcement. The flexural behavior of the poles was evaluated in terms of cracking moment, ultimate moment capacity, and load-deflection data. A cost comparison was also performed. The results show that the different types of reinforcement are not associated with significant differences in the ultimate capacities of the poles but are correlated with differences in cracking and deflection.