Authors : Nivrutti R. Savandre; Sandip A. Karale; Santosh T. Sanap

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 6 - June

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/mryk85bb

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/38sxj9um

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jun532

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) bars have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional steel reinforcement owing to their excellent corrosion resistance, high tensile strength, and lightweight characteristics. The present investigation evaluates the tensile and flexural behaviour of reinforced concrete beams reinforced with BFRP bars and compares their performance with that of conventional steel-reinforced beams. Tensile tests were conducted on BFRP bars using a Universal Testing Machine to determine their mechanical properties, while flexural behaviour was examined through four-point bending tests on beam specimens. The influence of reinforcement type and reinforcement ratio on load-carrying capacity, deflection response, crack development, and failure characteristics was investigated. Analytical predictions based on ACI 440 provisions and finite element simulations performed using ANSYS were employed to validate the experimental findings. The results indicated that BFRP-reinforced beams exhibited larger deflections and wider crack widths than steel-reinforced beams because of the lower elastic modulus and linear elastic nature of BFRP bars. However, increasing the reinforcement ratio significantly enhanced flexural stiffness and ultimate load capacity. A satisfactory agreement was observed among experimental observations, analytical calculations, and numerical simulations. The findings demonstrate that BFRP bars can effectively replace conventional steel reinforcement in structures requiring superior durability and corrosion resistance.

Keywords : Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer, Reinforced Beam, Flexural Behaviour, Tensile Behaviour, ACI 440, ANSYS, Finite Element Analysis.

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