New Research on Concrete Decay and Carbon Fiber

Recently, new research has been done in order to test the durability and strength of beams when carbon fiber strips and fabric are added to them. The experiments involved exposure to several environments such as high humidity, freezing-and-thawing cycles, and saltwater exposure.

The data recorded from the durability tests showed that in high humidity environments the bond between carbon fiber plates and concrete degraded over time, but the same conditions did not affect the bond between fabrics and concrete. This would suggest that plates would be better for indoor use rather than outside use

The freezing-and-thawing test results showed that the bond in both the plates and fabric was not affected by the fluctuations in temperature, which suggests that the carbon fiber protects the concrete from getting wet.

In the final test with saltwater exposure, carbon fiber performed well, but after 10,000 hours the concrete began to weaken, which may indicate that use in a marine environment is not recommended.

This mixed set of results will undoubtedly spawn more research and we will keep an eye on these developments.