Tearing failure of web-flange junctions in pultruded GRP profiles

Details are presented in the preparation of T-section specimens for determining the tensile tearing strengths of web-flange junctions of two sizes of pultruded glass reinforced plastic GRP wide flange (WF) profiles. Two simple test rigs, used to carry out the tension tests on the web-flange junctions, are described. The tensile tearing strengths derived from 43 tests are presented and the characteristic failure mode of the web-flange junction is explained. It is shown that the tearing strengths of the junctions of the smaller WF profile are larger than those of the larger WF profile and, moreover, that they are only about one-quarter to one-third of the minimum transverse tensile strength of the material given the manufacturer's design manual.