Engineering Properties of New Claw Connectors for Alkali-Resistant Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Plastics

Materials (Basel). 2022 Apr 2;15(7):2631. doi: 10.3390/ma15072631.

Abstract

To optimize the engineering properties of connectors, a new claw-shaped alkali-resistant glass-fiber-composite-reinforced connection member was designed in this study. Tensile, shear, and durability tests were conducted on the joint. Moreover, numerical analysis was performed, and the performance of the proposed connector was verified in engineering applications. Hence, the following conclusions hold: (1) At the same shear diameter and anchorage depth, the anchorage performance and shear resistance of claw connectors are better than those of rod connectors. (2) Claw connectors with an anchorage depth of 3.5 cm and a hollow joint with an outer diameter of 14 mm exhibit an excellent overall performance. (3) Alkali-resistant glass-fiber-reinforced plastics exhibit good durability. (4) The ANSYS numerical model can be used to accurately predict the load-displacement variation law of the pull-out and shear of the connectors. (5) Through research, it has been proven that claw-shaped connectors have good pull-out resistance, shear resistance, and durability, and the structure has good stability in engineering applications. Therefore, the structure can provide a significant reference for similar projects.

Keywords: FGFRP; claw connectors; durability; shear resistance; tensile strength.