SHEAR BEHAVIOR CURAUÁ FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER CONNECTORS FOR CONCRETE SANDWICH PANELS

This study investigates the mechanical performance of FRP shear connectors for sandwich panel construction. A shear grid connector, composed of curauá fiber-reinforced polyester resin, was fabricated and subjected to push-out tests to determine its load-carrying capacity, displacement, and stiffness. The results were compared with previous synthetic and natural FRP connectors. The curauá fiber connectors exhibited inferior mechanical performance compared to synthetic counterparts. However, grid connectors proved to be effective for shear connection in sandwich panels. This study contributes to the understanding of FRP connectors and provides insights for improving their design and application in sandwich panel construction.