| This paper presents the results of a series of outdoor exposure tests for concrete wrapped with CFRP. Three characteristic locations were investigated: Sherbrooke (Canada), Tsukuba (mainland Japan) and Oogimi (Okinawa). Specimens were exposed to natural ageing for up to 10 years. Four types of specimens were investigated: concrete cylinders without CFRP wrapping; cylinders wrapped in two types of CFRP sheets; and CFRP-wrapped concrete cylinders protected by a polyurethane coating. The compressive strength of each type of specimen showed a small increase in the early stages of exposure and then leveled off. Although yellowing or wearing of the matrix resin was observed on the cylinders without top coating, such visual degradations did not indicate a negative effect on the strength. The specimens still kept their initial strength after ten years of exposure. It appears that there are no significant differences in degradation between specimens from the three exposure sites. |
