SUMMARY

In the last two decades, advanced composites (fiber-reinforced polymer or FRP) have gained considerable worldwide interest and growing acceptance in the construction industry. The historical preservation of structures is one of the most appealing applications of FRP composites in the construction field. However, this application presents some critical issues still not sufficiently investigated: long-term durability of FRP-repaired structures; compatibility of the FRP system with the parent material; minimal invasiveness and reversibility of the upgrade; optimal material selection. 

All the aforementioned issues, of paramount importance for intervention on structures of architectural/historical interest, are also relevant when dealing with any other category of structure, when looking at long-term performance and global cost-benefit balance.  Each of these issues requires an interdisciplinary effort between researchers with material-oriented and structural-oriented backgrounds and experts of architectural restoration.  From this important standpoint, the IMTCR’04 Conference is an ideal venue for the workshop, as the conference program will focus on three main topic areas: Materials, Construction, Restoration. (YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE THE FINAL PROGRAM OF THE IMTCR'04 CONFERENCE)

 The primary objectives of the workshop are to review the advances in research on the topic of the workshop; provide to researchers with material-oriented and structural-oriented backgrounds and to experts of architectural restoration the opportunity to interact and develop a cooperation network; identify the gaps of knowledge on the sub-topics of the workshop (long-term durability, compatibility, minimal invasiveness and reversibility, and optimal material selection); identify major barriers to the effective utilization of advanced composites for historical preservation; renew the human network of experts in the field and integrate new entrants; prioritize and document the needs for effective research policies and programs.

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INTRODUCTION

In the last two decades, advanced composites (fiber-reinforced polymer or FRP) have gained considerable worldwide interest and growing acceptance in the construction industry.  The interest in FRP materials has been fueled by innovative manufacturing technologies (e.g., pultrusion, filament winding, and three-dimensional braiding) as well as significantly more stable, stronger and cheaper constituents (i.e., fibers and resins). The increasing demand for effective and cost-efficient repair and strengthening techniques for civil infrastructure has generated a growing interest for FRP-based technologies, characterized by speed and ease of implementation and better durability if compared to traditional technologies.

 FRP composites have shown excellent potential to significantly improve the performance and durability of new or deteriorated constructed facilities. The basic issues related to the short-term structural performance of structures repaired/upgraded with FRP composites have been subject of a considerable amount of experimental as well as theoretical research, and most of them can be considered adequately defined. Several commercial or demonstration projects have also been completed in recent years.  Less investigated have been the problems related to the long-term performance of FRP-repaired structures.

 Since 1993 when NSF funded the Coordinated Program for Research on Advanced Composites in Construction (RACC), there has been a recognized need to “outline a strategic research plan that can provide the basic understanding and engineering background for the use of advanced composites in construction, and can facilitate their introduction in the market place in a safe, efficient, and timely fashion” (RACC Final Report, 1994). This workshop was very successful in developing a network of experts to work together on this common task. Since then, several International Research on Advanced Composites in Construction (IRACC) workshops and sessions have been organized on a regular time basis, either as stand-alone events or in coincidence with major conferences dealing with composite materials (e.g., 1996 in Bologna, Italy, 1997 in Sapporo, Japan, 1998 in Naples, Italy). These workshops were designed to review the evolving research needs for the industry. Following the Fifth International Conference on FRP Reinforcement for Concrete Structures (FRPRCS-5), held in Cambridge, UK, in July 2001, the international workshop “Composites in Construction: a Reality” was held in Capri, Italy, to review the recent developments of research as emerged by the conference and to provide a forum for discussion on lacks of knowledge, research needs and industry trends in the field of composites for construction. All these workshops were very successful and established a wide network of cooperation in research and development worldwide.

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JUSTIFICATION

The preservation of historical structures is one of the most appealing applications of FRP composites in the construction field. Issues related to this type of application have been investigated in the last decade, mainly in Europe due to the growing need for repair/rehabilitation and conservation of a vast architectural heritage. Research results and in-situ applications have shown that FRP composites can be effectively and efficiently used for repair and upgrade of historical structures.

 However, this application of FRP composites presents some critical issues still not sufficiently investigated. At the current stage of knowledge, the burning issues to be explored are:

 All the aforementioned issues are of paramount importance for intervention on structures of architectural/historical interest. However, they are also relevant when dealing with any other category of structure, when looking at the long-term performance and at the global cost-benefit balance.

 Another important aspect to underline is that each of the aforementioned issues requires an interdisciplinary effort. In particular, researchers with material-oriented and structural-oriented backgrounds need to strictly interact with each other for a full understanding of the problems. While a material knowledge is essential to deal with the topics of durability at the material level, physical and chemical compatibility, reversibility and optimal selection of materials, the structural expertise is needed to focus on the macro-scale behavior of the strengthened member and structure, and to understand the structural implications of different material behaviors and micro-scale phenomena. This emphasizes the need for a workshop where experts on materials and structures can interact and exchange information and opinions on a common theme. Moreover, when dealing with historical structures, a third expertise on architectural restoration would contribute to the discussion on minimal invasiveness and reversibility.

 From this important standpoint, the IMTCR’04 Conference is an ideal venue for the workshop. The conference program will focus on three main topic areas: Materials, Construction, Restoration, each of them involving one of the three aforementioned areas of research and expertise.(YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE THE FINAL PROGRAM OF THE IMTCR'04 CONFERENCE)

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OBJECTIVES

The primary objectives of the workshop are to:

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DOWNLOAD THE NSF PROPOSAL IN .DOC FORMAT: NSF Proposal.doc

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