High Temperature Performance of Concrete Confinement by MWCNT Modified Epoxy Based Fiber Reinforced Composites.

The conventional method of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) wrapping around concrete columns uses epoxy as the binder along with synthetic or natural fibers such as carbon, glass, basalt, jute, sisal etc. as the reinforcement. However, the thermal stability of epoxy is a major issue in application areas prone to fire exposure.

Modification of epoxy binder with multi walled carbon nanotubes in hybrid fiber systems used for retrofitting of concrete structures: evaluation of strength characteristics.

The rapid development in infrastructural facilities necessitates an efficient approach for the repair and retrofitting of concrete structures and, confinement method using fiber reinforced polymer is a promising one. The commonly used carbon and glass fibers for confinement poses environmental and performance issues. The present study addresses these two major aspects by considering natural fibers along with modification of epoxy binder to impart ductile behavior ie.