Abstract: The pin-anchored carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) cable member has promising application in structure engineering for its simple structural construction. However, the effective anchorage of cable end would interrupt its full tensile capacity for premature failure in anchorage zone. In this work, tensile mechanical test was conducted with seven pin-anchored CFRP laminated loop straps to investigate the failure mechanism, ultimate tensile capacity and nonuniform stress in pin-anchored zone with the help of the digital image correlation (DIC) technology. The test results show that the fixture is crucial to the development of the tensile properties and failure mode of the strap cables. One no-fixture specimen was subjected to laminar tear; and the rest six strap cables showed nonlinear development in the load-displacement curves during tensile loading process, in which the microdamage of matrix and the adhesion failure of matrix and fiber interface accumulated continuously. Analysis explained the mechanism that the wedge angle θ and transverse binding force provided by the fixture were crucial in two structural failure modes of the cables. Finally, finite element analysis was carried out with quasi-static tensile simulation technique in ABAQUS to monitor the non-uniform stress in lamination layers up to the premature failure in anchor zone.

Key words: carbon fiber reinforced polymer lamination, strap, pink-anchored, tensile properties, cable structure, composites