Testing and Acceptance Criteria for Fiber-Reinforced Composite Grid Connectors Used in Concrete Sandwich Panels

Abstract

Precast concrete sandwich panels have been used in building construction since the 1960s. These sandwich wall panels are constructed with two wythes of concrete separated by a layer of thermal foam plastic insulation and a shear connector mechanism between concrete wythes. Recently, more research is focused on fiber-reinforced composite grids as shear connectors due to their superior thermal performance compared to other connectors such as steel or solid concrete. However, while there are guidelines for design of concrete sandwich panels, there is no standardized guidance that provides testing and capacity determination for composite shear connectors. Therefore, testing and acceptance criteria were developed to evaluate the shear transfer capacities of fiber-reinforced composite grid connectors used in combination with rigid insulation in concrete sandwich panel construction. The criteria are intended to standardize testing and evaluation of the interaction between concrete and composite shear connectors so manufacturers can provide consistent results, and the data pool generated by standardized testing can support the formulation of design assumptions.