SUMMARY

Since the appearance of fiberglass rebar as reinforcement for concrete, the existing recommendations on their use, are under constant review to be an innovative material in the world of engineering. However, all codes and design guidelines existing for reinforced concrete elements with GFRP rebar, not considered in the design compressive strength of the rebar, in the absence of contrasting test methods or in the same consistent results, ignoring contribution due to its low modulus of elasticity, and unjustifiable economic considerations.

The thesis focuses on defining a method of design and calculation of reinforced concrete with fiberglass rebar, including their use as reinforcement in compression, and so its resistance to fire.

The thesis presents a methodology adapted to an investigation of reinforced concrete elements with this type of rebar, based primarily on an extensive experimental base. We performed a bibliographic compilation and an state-of-the-art of the applications of FRP rebar as reinforcement of concrete, and existing guidelines in each of the existing codes or guidelines. After that, it shows the process and results of experimental work of tensile, compression, shear and bond executed to the RTHp fiberglass specimens, in order to obtain its mechanical properties, and subsequently seek its ratification by the CSIC, through the Institute "Eduardo Torroja", giving rise to the verification of their use as compression reinforcement in reinforced concrete.

Knowing the behavior of rebar, is developed design guidelines for reinforced concrete members under limit states, meeting criteria established by the EHE-08 with respect to the compatibility of stresses and strains, as modified by the intrinsic characteristics of fiberglass rebar, developed specially for the behavior to bending, shear and compression, in terms of Ultimate Limit States, and the cracking and deformation in the Service Limit States.

For the verification of these design guidelines are tested reinforced concrete elements with RTHp rebar to flexure and compression, where their behaviour is characterized by comparing experimental results with those obtained analytically by modifying the design guidelines with correction factors who combine these results.

With all this information, we implement a software application with a simple and logical introduction to the various parameters required for the design and testing of reinforced concrete with RTHp fiberglass rebar.

Finally, it conducts a study, both analytical and experimental, with testing conducted under fire loads in AIDICO laboratories, experimental results obtained have allowed to verify the initial analytical approach, which has already assumed its proper fire behavior.