STRUCTURAL BEHAVIORS OF PFRP COMPRESSION MEMBERS HAVING C-SECTIONS

Abstract

This paper presents the experimental study on the PFRP compression members having C-sections with pinned-pinned supports under axial compression. The objectives of this study are to investigate the structural behaviors and the modes of failure of the compression members and to compare the obtained results with those obtained from the ASCE and AISC-LRFD design equations. The specimens were built-up from single PFRP C-section, having three cross-sectional dimensions of 76×22×6 mm, 102×29×6 mm, and 152×43×10 mm.  A total of 57 specimens with slenderness ratio ranging from 21.2 to 187.3 were tested. For short compression members, the behaviors are linear up to the crushing failure load. For long compression members, the linear elastic responses are in the range of 80-90% of the buckling load. By comparing the test results with those obtained from the design equations, it was found that the design equations are acceptable for predicting the critical buckling stress of the PFRP compression members.