Steel Connections with Fiber-Reinforced Resin Thermal Barrier Filler Plates under Service Loading

Fiber-reinforced resin (FRR) plates are being incorporated into structural joints to correct thermal bridging issues to create more energy-efficient buildings. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the behaviors of simple shear and moment connections that include FRR thermal barrier plates under service-loading conditions. Tests included two thicknesses and two grades of barrier plate. The shear connection tests showed that the coefficient of friction between steel and an as-received FRR plate was significantly lower than that of steel on steel. However, roughening the FRR plates by blasting with aluminum oxide increased the coefficient to nearly the same as or greater than steel on steel. In moment connections the presence of thermal barrier plates increased the joint rotation at the connection. A 25-mm (1-in.) thermal barrier plate increased the joint rotation by 10% compared to a joint without the barrier plate. The increase was 20% for a 50-mm (2-in.) plate. The thermal barrier plates did not affect the dynamic response of the test fixture at structurally important frequencies.