The paper presents results of experimental tests carried out on concrete beams reinforced with glass fibre polymer reinforced (GFRP) bars, which have become recently one of the main substitutes for traditional steel reinforcement. GFRP bars were used in this research as the longitudinal and transverse reinforcement. An objective of the study was to investigate the influence of the shear reinforcement ratio on the shear capacity of GFRP reinforced concrete beams in comparison with the corresponding beam without shear reinforcement. Single-span, simply-supported T-section beams reinforced in flexure with 5 GFRP bars of 25 mm diameter were reinforced in shear with closed GFRP stirrups of 8 mm diameter applied in three variable spacings: 250 mm, 200 mm and 120 mm. The analysis of test results, failure modes and shear capacity is discussed in the paper in respect to investigated parameters.

The paper presents research program of bond between glass fiber reinforced polymer bars and concrete in reference to the steel bars. Bond between the reinforcement and concrete is a crucial parameter governing a behaviour of reinforced concrete members and transferring of the internal forces from concrete to the reinforcement. The use of FRP bars as an equivalent reinforcement to steel in concrete structures has increased in recent years. The FRP bars are very different from steel, mainly due to much lower elasticity modulus and their anisotropic structure. Good performance of FRP reinforced concrete requires sufficient interfacial bond between bars and concrete. However, there are no specific standards referring to the surface preparation of these bars, that leads to variable bond behaviour of the composite reinforcement to the concrete. The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of variable parameters on the bond behaviour to concrete. The experimental program consisted of eighteen beam bond specimens varying in: bar diameter (12 mm, 16 mm, 18 mm) and type of reinforcement (GFRP sand – coated and steel bars). Although the GFRP bars indicated good bond behaviour to concrete, the average bond strength was slightly lower than that of steel reinforcement of 16mm and 18 mm, while it was higher for the GFRP bars of 12 mm diameter.

Secondary Steel Refining for Continuous Sequence Bloom Casting for High Oxide Cleanness Final Products Steelmaking and secondary refining process technology of resulphurized liquid steel with low content of total oxygen, assigned for continuous casting of strands for rolled and forged products for automotive industry was developed. The influence of secondary steel refining parameters on total oxygen content as well as amount and morphology of non-metallic inclusions was examined. It was found, that content of total oxygen and amount of non-metallic inclusions in steel decrease as steel refining time in the ladle becomes longer, and the chemical composition of non-metallic inclusions in steel changes from modified calcium aluminates to spinel inclusion of CaO·Al2O3·MgO type. The total oxygen content in steel from continuous casting in four cast sequence ranged from 6 to 25 ppm, with percentage share of non-metallic inclusions from 0.09 to 0.30 per cent and equivalent diameter 0.78 to 1.59 μm.

The experiment consisted in monitoring the count of moulds and three selected Trichoderma sp. isolates (T1 - Trichoderma atroviride, T2 - Trichoderma harzianum, T3 - Trichoderma harzianum) in vegetable (onion and tomato) waste composted with additives (straw, pig manure). Additionally, the aim of the study was to determine the type of interaction occurring between autochthonous fungi isolated from composts after the end of the thermophilic phase and Trichoderma sp. strains applied in the experiment. Number of microorganisms was determined by the plate method, next the identification was confirmed. The rating scale developed by Mańka was used to determine the type of interactions occurring between microorganisms. The greatest count of moulds in onion waste composts was noted in the object which had simultaneously been inoculated with two strains T1 - T. atroviride and T3 - T. harzianum. The greatest count of moulds was noted in the tomato waste composts inoculated with T2 - T. harzianum strain. Microscope identification revealed that Penicillum sp., Rhizopus sp., Alternaria sp. and Mucor sp. strains were predominant in onion waste composts. In tomato waste composts Penicillium was the predominant genus, followed by Rhizopus. The test of antagonism revealed the inhibitory effect of Trichoderma isolates on most autochthonous strains of moulds. Tomato waste composts proved to be better substrates for the growth and development of Trichoderma sp. isolates. The results of the study show that vegetable waste can be used in agriculture as carriers of antagonistic microorganisms.