Predicting the tensile strength of A UD basalt/ epoxy composite used for the confinement of concrete structures

The principal aim of the present research was to predict the strength of UD basalt fiber/epoxy matrix composites in tension along the reinforcement direction. Tension tests on single basalt fibers were performed to determine the functional form of their strength distribution and to evaluate the parameters of the distribution. Also, microbond tests were carried out to assess the interfacial shear strength of the fibers and polymer matrix. UD composite specimens were produced and tested for the longitudinal tensile strength. The predicted strength of the composite was found to exceed the experimental values by ca. 20%, which can be explained by imperfections in the fiber alignment, impregnation, and adhesion in the composite specimens.