The objective of this project is to develop products and technology to substitute traditional steel reinforcement with GFRP (glassfiber reinforced) bars in precast tunnel segments. Precast segments are traditionally used for the lining of tunnels excavated with a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), and the use of fiberglass reinforcement in tunnel segments allows several advantages, mainly related to the durability aspects. In particular, it is of great interest the possibility to reduce the concrete cover that is usually a weak point for this kind of structure (concrete cover can crash during handling of the segments or due to TBM thrusts).
The main phases of this project are:
• Definition of skeleton typologies,
• Production of prototypes of segments with GFRP reinforcement for final testing program,
• Validation of the numerical models and the final definition of a proper reinforcement for the segment,
• Development of Manufacturing Technologies and production of final demonstrator for industrialization,
• Experimental test on final demonstrators, validation of entire project, qualification of products and of process,
• Exploitation and dissemination of project results.