Structural Application and Analysis of FRP Pultruded Elements

Abstract

The FRP elements obtained by the process of pultrusion are advanced, adaptable and in the hands of engineers open new horizons for application. They have their origin in the automotive and aviation industry, but in the last two decades their structural application has been intensified. This paper summarized their structural application, also gives an overview of current standards and codes for their design. Because the pultrusion elements are characterized by high strength, but small modulus of elasticity, most common form of collapse is due to local or global instability. Considering the orthotropic characteristics of the pultruded elements, shell elements are used in the software SAP2000 in order to analyze the forms of buckling that occur in elements exposed to compression and bending