Ductile response controlled EW CFRP anchor system

This paper presents a novel ductile carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) anchor system, which has been designed to ensure a controlled high capacity. The response of the anchor system was hypothesized tailorable by adding a ductile mechanism as a part of the anchor system. Three test batches, totaling 43 tests, provide the basis for a functionality sensitivity analysis and thus a threshold basis for tailoring the ductile mechanism response. The response of these were predicted using FE-simulation of three different ductility mechanism configurations and verified by tested. The tensile capacities of the final modified anchor reached a mean value of 2986 MPa, based on tests ranging from 2875 MPa to 3229 MPa. The ductile mechanism provided the intended response to the tensile behavior. An initial elastic regime with a tailored yielding regime initiation at 2330 MPa was reached, with a post elastic stage which enabled utilization of the full anchor capacity. An excellent consistency in the results was thus obtained with large elongations at a high tension magnitude. Consequently, the results furthermore enabled change of failure mode from brittle to ductile.