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  Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) permanent rock bolts

  Glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) is a composite material with many advantages compared to steel – both structurally and in respect of the embodied carbon in the material. Tensile elements like reinforcing bars and rock bolts can be manufactured from GFRP. While they have an excellent tensile strength, because most glass fibres are aligned in the longitudinal direction along the bar, the performance under shearing is less good, particularly the transverse direction due to the anisotropy. Some full scale tests have been performed and these show that the shear capacity of GFRP rock bolts can be higher than steel ones of the same diameter when sheared obliquely. Full scale testing is rarely done because of the cost. To complement this, numerical modelling offers a virtual laboratory in which to explore the behaviour of materials. A new simple design method can evaluate the shear capacity. This paper examines the key concerns regarding GFRP rock bolts in the overall context of the suitability of these bolts for permanent rock support.

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