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The use of fiber-reinforced composite materials for the construction and rehabilitation of civil engineering structures is relatively new. Structural members are routinely joined by bolted connections. Bolted connections are relatively easy to assemble and maintain, and are capable of transferring the high loads that typically occur in civil engineering structures. Currently there is a serious lack of knowledge on the behavior and design of bolted connections for fiber-reinforced composites. In light of this, a comprehensive experimental and analytical investigation was conducted at the University of Manitoba to study the behavior of bolted connections in composite materials appropriate for civil engineering applications. A total of 102 single-bolt connections were tested up to failure. The various parameters investigated were the width of the structural member, the edge distance, the thickness, and the direction of the fibers with respect to the applied load. The experimental program also included comprehensive material testing to determine the various in-plane material properties. This paper discusses the experimental program, test results, and various modes of failure as affected by the foregoing parameters. From the test results an analytical model and design procedure were developed as proposed in a companion paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An extensive research project is currently being carried out at the University of Manitoba, Canada, involving the development of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) wind turbine towers. The towers consist of multi-cell segments, each segment constructed from eight filament wound cells jointed together with resin applied over their interface. The present paper mainly addresses the static and dynamic characteristics, such as failure static loads, modes of failure, fundamental frequencies and periods of such segmented composite towers. Both experimental and numerical results are presented. The experimental investigation involved the testing of two jointed scaled towers. These specimens had a total height of 4.88-m (16-ft) and were tested as cantilevers under static and dynamic loading. The testing was conducted at the W.R. McQuade Structural Engineering Laboratory of the University of Manitoba. Finally, finite element models were developed to analyze the structural behavior, static and dynamic, of single and multi-cell composite segments and towers. The results from the finite element models under static loading were validated through comparison with the experimental results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]