Structural Enhancements to Adapt to Impacts of Climate Change
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2016-06-01
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Edition:Final 10/01/14 - 05/31/16
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Abstract:With the apparent evolution towards more extreme weather including hurricanes and tropical storms, state transportation agencies are realizing the need for adaptive infrastructure systems that can react and adapt to these events. However, dramatic changes in practices such as reconstruction or shifting population centers is extremely difficult to achieve. More rational alternatives include solutions that adapt existing infrastructure to tolerate these events. From the perspective of structural systems, this includes updating design with new durable and robust materials and rehabilitating existing structures with retrofits that extend service life. In addition to enhancing the longevity and performance of structural systems, these solutions need to be cost effective. The objective of this research is to reduce the vulnerability of civil infrastructure systems in light of expected climate change and associated increase in extreme weather events by developing and integrating advanced composite materials into sustainable structural design. Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a class of metallic alloys that can recover large strains upon load removal with minimal residual deformations. Besides their ability to recover large deformations, SMAs possess excellent corrosion resistance, good energy dissipation capacity, and high fatigue properties. SMA materials have superelastic properties that can overcome the brittle behavior of carbon or glass FRP and provide ductility. SMAs can also enhance the damping capacity and toughness of the matrix and provide re-centering ability. This study explores the use of superelastic SMA fibers in developing advanced composites that can be integrated into structural design to enhance the performance of civil infrastructure systems subjected to extreme weather events. First, SMA materials are used to reinforce a thermoset polymer matrix to produce SMA Fiber Reinforced Polymers. Then, the use of SMA fiber in cementitious composites are explored. Experimental tests are conducted to assess the performance of the developed composites and the test results are analyzed in detail. Results from this investigation show that SMA fibers can provide some advantages over traditional fibers such as ability to experience larger deformations, crack control, and minimizing permanent damages and residual displacements.
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