DEGRADATION PROCESS OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES REINFORCED WITH FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER REBARS IN ALKALINE ENVIRONMENTS: LITERATURE REVIEW

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) material has several applications including military, automotive, and, in recent decades, in civil construction as rebar in concrete structures. They are composites formed by the union of long fibers and a polymeric matrix, which may degrade in alkaline environments, such as concrete. The degradation process occurs due to the diffusion of hydroxyl ions through the polymeric matrix, which damages the matrix and causes the dissolution of the glass fibers. This work aims to perform a review of the literature, describing the methods for evaluating the degradation of FRP rebars and the results obtained by different authors.