Tests at high temperatures on concrete slabs reinforced with bent FRP bars

Three fire tests were carried out on slabs reinforced with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars bent at the ends of the member and the results were compared to those of six tests conducted previously. The anchoring of the FRP bars in the zone of slab not directly exposed to fire at the end of the members, provided by bending the bar ends, revealed essential to ensures slab resistance once in the fire exposed zone of slab the glass transition temperature was attained and the resin softening reduced the adhesion at the FRP-concrete interface. Therefore similar good performances of some of the six concrete slabs previously tested were later obtained even if a shorter length of the anchoring zone not directly exposed to fire was adopted. The production process allowing the bar to be bent is easily implemented by FRP bars manufacturers owing technologically advanced systems.