Séminaire UCBL : Behaviour and design of fibre composite structures in Civil Engineering, José GONILHA

Fibre-reinforced composite materials, particularly pultruded glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) profiles, have emerged as a promising alternative in the construction industry due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and low maintenance requirements. However, their deformability, anisotropic behaviour, and brittle failure modes present significant challenges to widespread adoption. Concerns have also been raised about their use in seismic areas due to their lack of ductility— a key feature in current design philosophies, including Eurocode 8. This presentation will explore research on the structural behaviour of fibre composite structures, from individual members to full-scale systems, demonstrating their potential to exhibit (pseudo-)ductile failure modes and energy dissipation capacity. Additionally, their predominantly elastic behaviour can facilitate the recentering of structures after seismic events, enabling a design approach focused on damage limitation rather tha