Project Description
Using Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) patches is one of the most efficient methods for repair and strengthening of onshore structures but not being used widely yet for steel structures in the offshore/marine environment. The main focus of this project was the load bearing capacity of corroded plates (representing jetty, walkway or deck plates and steel storage tanks/vessels along the Swan River) repaired with FRP patches. The test results show that corroded plates wrapped with layers of Glass and Carbon FRPs can retain the ultimate strength equal or even greater than the intact steel plates when the corrosion is limited to half thickness of the plate or if it is presented accurately using the corrosion bubbles.
Dr Mehrdad Kimiaei, Oceans Graduate School