Mr Abdul Mahboob SAMSOR

Research project: Aspects of Multi-rowed Bolted Connections in Pultruded Fibre Reinforced Polymer Structures

Abstract

Pultruded fibre reinforced polymer (PFRP) composites have high specific strength and stiffness compared with those of conventional structural materials such as concrete and steel. Pultruded composites also have several different advantages such as non-magnetic and non-conductive properties, high resistance to corrosion and chemical attack. Due to their excellent physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, PFRP composites are widely used in the civil engineering and construction nowadays (Kim et al., 2018). Although during last two decades a large number of studies on PFRP structures (REF) have been conducted, yet there is a lack of fundamental criteria needed to develop a guideline for the standard in design and construction of these structures. A special emphasis should be put on the connections, which are the most critical members in any kind of structures (Mottram and Zafari, 2011). To join several components, bolted connections are often selected due to their several advantages (Mottram and Zafari, 2011). It is recognised that the design and verification of a multi-rowed bolted connection for pultruded structural materials is a complex procedure (Mottram, 2013). Therefore, characterization testing programme is required to determine for static loading the strengths and failure modes. The test matrix involves material thicknesses, steel bolt size and hole diameters found in practice.

The outcome of this proposed study will establish and verify a number of closed formed formulae for the identified modes of failure. To transfer these formulae into procedures in a structural design standard (such as an FRP Eurocode) they will be calibrated for their partial factors of resistance and range of applicability.

  • Research degree: PhD
  • Title of project: Aspects of Multi-rowed Bolted Connections in Pultruded Fibre Reinforced Polymer Structures
  • Research supervisor: Dr Behrouz Zafari

Biography

I completed my Master of Science in Structural Design and Construction Management at Kingston University, London. Nowadays, I am doing my Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at Kingston University, London. As a Civil Engineer, I gained wide experience in major schemes projects & maintenance, as a Site Engineer, Project Manager, and Structural Designer. I am a responsible person and I always keen to learn new things.

Areas of research interest

  • Bolt Connection
  • Pultruded Fibre-Reinforced Polymer
  • Structural Design

Qualifications

  • MSc in Structure Design and Construciton Manamgement
  • BSc (Hons) in Civil Engineering

Funding or awards received

  • 2019 Kingston University's Bursary

Publications

Influence of the positioning of CFRP laminates for improving punching shear capacity of column-to-slab connections

Hikmatullah Akhundzada, Ted Donchev, Diana Petkova and Abdul Mahboob Samsor

Synopsis:  The research comprises testing of seven small scale reinforced concrete slabs (550x550x75 mm) (21.7x21.7x3 inch) with a column stud (80x80x75 mm) (3.1x3.1x3 inch) at the centre to simulate the slab-column connection. The primary variable of the experiment was the positioning, layout and configuration of the CFRP laminates. The total width and thickness of the CFRP laminates were kept constant and the objective was to determine the most efficient layout. It was found out that using CFRP laminates as externally bonded reinforcement significantly enhances the punching shear capacity and results in improved stiffness of the slabs. The result shows a significant increase in ultimate load and stiffness.