School of Engineering News
£445k EPSRC grant for Research on Connections and Joints of Fibre Reinforced Polymer for Civil Engineering Works
Dr Toby Mottram (Principal Investigator), Jawed Qureshi (Research Fellow), and Navroop Mathura (PhD student) with Access Design and Engineering and the Bridge Division of Mott MacDonald Ltd. are now collaborating on a Composites in Construction project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/ViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/H042628/1).
The objectives of this project (2010-2014) are:
- to develop a test methodology for the determination of pin-bearing strength, and to characterise this key strength property required for the design of bolted connections with FRP shapes.
- to complete a series of plate-to-plate tests that characterise the resistance of bolted connections of pultruded material, having details that correspond to practice, and which, by addressing current knowledge gaps, identified by the PI from drafting a American Society of Civil Engineers `code of practice', shall lead the research team to propose new or improved design guidance that is required for a structural Eurocode and that will reduce the risk of failure.
- to conduct and evaluate a programme of new tests on sub-assembly specimens to characterise bolted connections for bracing members and frame connections for simple construction, for both serviceability (static and fatigue) and ultimate limit states, so that we can understand their structural limitations for code writing.
- to develop and characterise a new mechanical fastener that shall give slip (and fatigue) resistant connections and can be used with FRP shapes to fabricate larger built-up members than present and, with appropriate connection components, could allow joint details to provide stiffness and strength properties for bridge engineering.
- to use a critical evaluation of the targeted test results to either revise or modify current design provisions so that the risk of structural failure is minimised as we strive for minimum weight structures for sustainable construction.
For more information please contact Toby Mottram (Toby.Mottram@warwick.ac.uk) at University of Warwick.