Analysis of the experimental flexural behaviour of a concrete beam grid reinforced with C-FRP bars

In recent years the use of composite materials as reinforcement in concrete beams has increased whenever durability is the main controlling parameter. Many studies have been performed on the behaviour of concrete beams but few have analysed the structural behaviour of plane elements like slabs or grids. The paper analyses the experimental flexural behaviour of a concrete beam grid reinforced with CFRP bars. An one-third scale experimental model of a real concrete floor, was tested in bending. The experimental results show the flexural behaviour in terms of cracking phases and deflection until the failure. The experimental model was affected by the cracking of concrete even under low loads. The experimental model is analysed both by elastic theory of orthotropic plate and a FEM code. An approximate method of calculation, based on an orthotropic plate model, is developed that considers modified bending rigidities for orthogonal directions.     

Improving bending characteristics of FRP sandwich structures with reinforcement webs

Sandwich-structure materials consist of a high-strength skin material and a lightweight core material. The advantages of sandwich structures are known to include excellent mechanical properties and low weight. Sandwich structures are lightweight because of their lightweight core; meanwhile, the skin structure provides mechanical strength and bears bending stress. Carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) is a high-specific-strength and high-specific-rigidity material. In recent years, CFRP sandwich structures have been used in aerospace applications due to their lightweight properties. However, soft-core members such as plastic foam materials have low rigidity and therefore may not exhibit adequate function as a sandwich structure. Webs can make up for the lack of rigidity of soft core members. Consequently, sandwich structures with reinforcement webs offer higher strength than sandwich structures without reinforcement webs. This study focused on reinforcement webs suitable for use in CFRP sandwich structures by evaluating the bending characteristics of CFRP sandwich structures with reinforcement webs. Experimental results demonstrated that CFRP sandwich structures with reinforcement webs had improved bending strength. The effects of the spacing interval of reinforcement webs and the number of layers of carbon fiber fabric on the bending characteristics of CFRP sandwich structures were also examined. Finally, an optimal condition model was created for CFRP sandwich structures with reinforcement webs.     

Structural performance of corroded RC beams repaired with CFRP sheets

Corrosion of reinforcement is a serious problem and is the main cause of concrete structures deterioration costing millions of dollars even though the majority of such structures are at the early age of their expected service life. This paper presents the experimental results of damaged/repaired reinforced concrete beams. The experimental program consisted of reinforced concrete rectangular beam specimens exposed to accelerated corrosion. The corrosion rate was varied between 5% and 15% which represents loss in cross-sectional area of the steel reinforcement in the tension side. Corroded beams were repaired by bonding carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets to the tension side to restore the strength loss due to corrosion. Different strengthening schemes were used to repair the damaged beams. Test results showed detrimental effect of corrosion on strength as well as the bond between steel reinforcement and the surrounding concrete. Corroded beams showed lower stiffness and strength than control (uncorroded) beams. However, strength of damaged beams due to corrosion was restored to the undamaged state when strengthened with CFRP sheets. On the other hand, the ultimate deflection of strengthened beams was less than ultimate deflection of un-strengthened beams.     

CFRP筋增强ECC梁弯曲性能试验研究

为研究碳纤维增强树脂复合材料(Carbon fiber reinforced polymer,CFRP)筋/超高韧性纤维增强水泥基复合材料(Engineered cementitious composite,ECC)梁的抗弯性能,对3根CFRP筋/ECC梁、1根玻璃纤维增强树脂复合材料(Glass fiber reinforced polymer,GFRP)筋/梁和1根CFRP筋混凝土梁进行了四点弯曲试验,分析了配筋率、纤维增强树脂复合材料(Fiber reinforced polymer,FRP)筋类型和基体类型对梁抗弯性能的影响。试验结果表明:CFRP筋/ECC梁与GFRP筋/ECC梁和CFRP筋混凝土梁类似,均经历了弹性阶段、带裂缝工作阶段和破坏阶段;配筋率对CFRP筋/ECC梁的受弯性能影响较大。随着配筋率的增加,CFRP筋/ECC梁的承载能力不断提高,延性性能逐渐减弱;ECC材料优异的应变硬化能力和受压延性,使得CFRP筋/ECC梁的极限承载能力和变形能力均优于CFRP筋混凝土梁;由于ECC材料多裂缝开裂能力,CFRP筋/ECC梁开裂后,纵筋表面应变分布比CFRP筋混凝土梁更均匀; 由于聚乙烯醇(Polyvinyl alcohol,PVA)纤维的桥联作用,CFRP筋/ECC梁破坏时,其表面出现了大量的细密裂缝,且能保持较好的完整性和自复位能力;正常使用阶段,CFRP筋/ECC梁的最大弯曲裂缝宽度均小于CFRP筋混凝土梁。最后,根据试验结果,建立了基于等效应力图的CFRP筋/ECC梁弯曲承载力简化计算模型,确定模型中的相关系数。由简化模型计算的极限承载力与试验结果具有较好的相关性。      

Optimizing the performance characteristics of beams strengthened with bonded CFRP laminates

Ductility is of fundamental importance in the design of concrete structures. With structures using conventional materials such as concrete and steel, ductility of a member as a whole can be satisfactorily defined in terms of deflection, curvature or energy absorption capacity as examplified by the area under the load-deflection curve. However, when structural members strengthened with externally bonded fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates are considered, conventional definitions of ductility become less precise because of the brittle behaviour of FRP materials, and their resultant effect on the performance of the strengthened beam. Furthermore, such beams when stregthened without the provision of external anchorages will fail very suddenly, with abrupt debonding of the laminate and substantial loss of load capacity. This paper intends to propose a new criterion to evaluate the structural performance of such strengthened composite beams, and the efficiency of the external anchorage system. The design criterion termed, Peformance Factor, incorporates both the deformability and strength of composite beams. Unlike the concept of toughness as applied to materials, the Performance Factor incorporates the effect of numerous parameters which influence structural design. To examine the reliability of this parameter a series of eleven reinforced concrete beams were tested to evaluate the structural performance of beams strengthened with and without externally bonded carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates, and with different types of internal reinforcement and external anchorage systems. The structural behaviour of these beams was then evaluated using the Performance Factor.     

Efficacy of CFRP-based techniques for the flexural and shear strengthening of concrete beams

Near surface mounted (NSM) and externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) strengthening techniques are based on the use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) materials and have been used for the structural rehabilitation of concrete structures. In the present work, the efficacies of the NSM and EBR techniques for the flexural and shear strengthening of reinforced concrete beams are compared carrying out two experimental groups of tests. For the flexural strengthening, the efficacy of applying CFRP laminates according to NSM is compared to those resulting from applying CFRP laminates and wet lay-up CFRP sheets according to EBR technique. The influences of the equivalent reinforcement ratio (steel and laminates) and spacing of the laminates on the efficiency of the NSM technique for the flexural strengthening is also investigated. A numerical strategy is implemented to analyze the applicability of the FRP effective strain concept, proposed by ACI and fib in the design of FRP systems for the flexural strengthening. To assess the efficacy of the NSM technique for the shear strengthening of concrete beams, four beam series of distinct depth and longitudinal tensile steel reinforcement ratio are tested. Each series is composed of one beam without any shear reinforcement and one beam using the following shear reinforcing systems: conventional steel stirrups; strips of wet lay-up CFRP sheet of U configuration applied according to EBR technique; and laminates of CFRP embedded into vertical or inclined (45°) pre-cut slits on the concrete cover of the beam lateral faces, according to the NSM technique. Using the obtained experimental results, the performance of the analytical formulations proposed by ACI, fib and Italian guidelines is appraised.     

Fatigue behaviour of the bond interface between carbon fibre‐reinforced polymer sheets and concrete

Externally bonded carbon fibre‐reinforced polymers (CFRPs) have been applied to retrofit and strengthen civil structures. In this study, four‐point bending beams were manufactured and tested to examine the fatigue behaviour of the CFRP–concrete interface. The results indicated that the specimens exhibited debonding failure in the concrete beneath the adhesive layer under static loading. However, when cyclic loads were imposed on the small beams, debonding failure may occur in the adhesive layer. Moreover, fitting expressions were proposed to predict the shear stress–slip relationship between the CFRP sheets and concrete and the flexural strength of the CFRP‐strengthened beams under static loads, and good agreement with the test data was obtained. Finally, a fatigue life prediction model was also presented to capture the fatigue life of the CFRP–concrete interface under cyclic loads. The calculation results showed that the fatigue strength of the CFRP–concrete bond interface was approximately 65% of the ultimate load capacity.     

Structural behaviour of RC beams with external flexural and flexural–shear strengthening by FRP sheets

This paper presents experimental research on reinforced concrete (RC) beams with external flexural and flexural–shear strengthening by fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets consisting of carbon FRP (CFRP) and glass FRP (GFRP). The work carried out has examined both the flexural and flexural–shear strengthening capacities of retrofitted RC beams and has indicated how different strengthening arrangements of CFRP and GFRP sheets affect behaviour of the RC beams strengthened. Research output shows that the flexural–shear strengthening arrangement is much more effective than the flexural one in enhancing the stiffness, the ultimate strength and hardening behaviour of the RC beam. In addition theoretical calculations are developed to estimate the bending and shear capacities of the beams tested, which are compared with the corresponding experimental results.     

The effect of traditional reinforcement – prestressed reinforcement ratio on the behaviour of concrete beams

Firstly, the effect of traditional reinforcement – prestressed reinforcement ratio on the behaviour of concrete beams up to failure was experimentally investigated. The beams were 10 m long and 0.5 m high, with different ratios of traditional and prestressed reinforcement. The total quantity of reinforcement in each beam was selected to provide their equal ultimate bending bearing capacity. Deflections, stresses in concrete, traditional and prestressed reinforcement, as well as concrete cracks, were monitored until the beams failure. Using the previously developed numerical model of authors of this paper for static analysis of spatial frame structures, which can simulate main nonlinear effects of their behaviour, then numerical analysis of tested beams was performed. Good agreement was obtained between the experimental and the numerical results, which confirms the possibility of practical application of the adopted numerical model. Main conclusions and recommendations for practical applications according to results of performed tests are given at the end.     

混凝土结构用CFRP筋的感知性能试验研究

对混凝土结构用CFRP筋及其加筋混凝土梁的力学性能和感知性能进行试验研究。自行研制开发了不同直径和表面处理形式的CFRP筋。在此基础上,制作了三组各6个标准受拉试件,分别测试了CFRP筋的弹性模量、极限抗拉强度和电阻变化率,得到了相应的变化曲线;其次制作了两组各3根CFRP加筋混凝土梁,测试了梁中CFRP筋电阻随载荷增加的变化曲线。研究表明,CFRP筋具有很好的力学性能和感知性能,对于混凝土结构加强筋和结构受力状态监测具有广泛的应用前景。     

Near surface mounted CFRP laminates for shear strengthening of concrete beams

A Near Surface Mounted (NSM) strengthening technique was developed to increase the shear resistance of concrete beams. The NSM technique is based on fixing, by epoxy adhesive, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminates into pre-cut slits opened in the concrete cover of lateral surfaces of the beams. To assess the efficacy of this technique, an experimental program of four-point bending tests was carried out with reinforced concrete beams failing in shear. Each of the four tested series was composed of five beams: without any shear reinforcement; reinforced with steel stirrups; strengthened with strips of wet lay-up CFRP sheets, applied according to the externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) technique; and two beams strengthened with NSM precured laminates of CFRP, one of them with laminates positioned at 90° and the other with laminates positioned at 45° in relation to the beam axis. Influences of the laminate inclination, beam depth and longitudinal tensile steel reinforcement ratio on the efficacy of the strengthening techniques were analyzed. Amongst the CFRP strengthening techniques, the NSM with laminates at 45° was the most effective, not only in terms of increasing beam shear resistance but also in assuring larger deformation capacity at beam failure. The NSM was also faster and easier to apply than the EBR technique. The performance of the ACI and fib analytical formulations for the EBR shear strengthening was appraised. In general, the contribution of the CFRP systems predicted by the analytical formulations was slightly larger than the values registered experimentally. Performance of the formulation by Nanni et al. for NSM strengthening technique was also appraised. Using bond stress and CFRP effective strain values obtained in pullout bending tests with NSM CFRP laminate system, the formulation by Nanni et al. predicted a contribution of this CFRP system for the beam shear resistance of 72% the experimentally recorded values.     

Studies on ductility and evaluation of minimum flexural reinforcement in RC beams

Some experimental investigations on ductility and prediction of minimum flexural reinforcement in reinforced concrete (RC) beams are reported. The minimum flexural reinforcement was evaluated using optimum ductility in RC beams. Beams of size 100 mm, 200 mm and 400 mm were tested, which were designed with varying percentages of flexural reinforcement i.e. 0.15, 0.30, 0.60 and 1.0. The beams were tested under four-point loading to study the flexural behaviour under uniform bending moment. The experimentally obtained average compressive strength of concrete was 30 MPa. The influence of beam size (depth) on cracking and normalised ultimate flexural strength, ductility and overall average rotation has been studied. The cracking in RC beams is complex phenomenon in small size beams, while the cracking strength decreases as the depth increases beyond 200 mm. The flexural strength of RC beams, from the present study, appears to decrease as the depth increases. The ductility of RC beams increases as the percentage of flexural reinforcement increases. The ductility number has been derived from dimensional analysis using fracture mechanics principles. The ductility of RC beams decreases as the depth of beams increases. An optimum percentage of flexural reinforcement has been established using optimum ductility number, N_p, which is equal to 0.20. The minimum flexural reinforcement was found to decrease as the beam depth increases, and decreases as the yield strength of reinforcement increases.     

CFRP布加固方案对RC梁剪切性能及尺寸效应影响分析EI北大核心CSCD

采用同时考虑混凝土材料非均质性、钢筋与混凝土之间的相互作用以及CFRP布与混凝土之间的相互作用影响的三维细观数值模拟方法,建立了CFRP布加固RC梁剪切破坏力学分析模型。在验证了细观数值方法合理性的基础上,设计并建立了12根CFRP布加固RC梁细观模型,探究相同CFRP配纤率(用布量)前提下,不同CFRP布加固方案对单调荷载作用下RC梁的剪切性能及尺寸效应的影响。结果表明:CFRP布应变分布与裂缝位置紧密相关,越靠近裂缝位置的CFRP布应变越大,提供的抗剪贡献越多;在CFRP配纤率一致的前提下,CFRP布宽度大厚度小的加固方案优于CFRP布厚度大宽度小的加固方案;CFRP布U型加固RC梁剪切强度存在尺寸效应现象,但相同CFRP配纤率下,不同CFRP布加固方案对名义抗剪强度尺寸效应的影响较小,可以忽略。     

Mechanical behaviour of corroded RC beams strengthened by NSM CFRP rods

Corrosion of steel in reinforced concrete leads to several major defects. Firstly, a reduction in the cross-sectional area of the reinforcement and in its ductility results in premature bar failure. Secondly, the expansion of the corrosion products causes concrete cracking and steel–concrete bond deterioration and also affects the bending stiffness of the reinforced concrete members, causing a reduction in the overall load-bearing capacity of the reinforced concrete beams. This paper investigates the validity of a repair technique using Near Surface Mounted (NSM) carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) rods to restore the mechanical performance of corrosion-damaged RC beams. In the NSM technique, the CFRP rods are placed inside pre-cut grooves and are bonded to the concrete with epoxy adhesive.Experimental results were obtained on two beams: a corroded beam that had been exposed to natural corrosion for 25 years and a control beam, (both are 3 m long) repaired in bending only. Each beam was repaired with one 6-mm-diameter NSM CFRP rod. The beams were tested in a three-point bending test up to failure. Overall stiffness and crack maps were studied before and after the repair. Ultimate capacity, ductility and failure mode were also reviewed. Finally some comparisons were made between repaired and non-repaired beams in order to assess the effectiveness of the NSM technique. The experimental results showed that the NSM technique improved the overall characteristics (ultimate load capacity and stiffness) of the control and corroded beams and allowed sufficient ductility to be restored to the repaired corroded elements, thus restoring the safety margin, despite the non-classical mode of failure that occurred in the corroded beam, with the separation of the concrete cover due to corrosion products.     

碳纤维束铆钉锚固下CFRP布加固梁的力学性能

粘贴碳纤维布(CFRP)加固梁时,通常需对其进行锚固,避免发生因CFRP布过早剥离而无法充分利用其抗拉强度。但当梁施工空间较小,梁侧面形状不规则时,CFRP布锚固较困难,采用新型碳纤维束铆钉锚固的方式能够很好地解决这一弊端。本文通过对四组不同锚固方式下的CFRP布加固梁进行四点受弯承载力试验,对比分析加载过程中各梁的力学性能和破坏规律,研究表明碳纤维束铆钉锚固下CFRP布加固梁强度和刚度都有显著增强。进一步对碳纤维束铆钉锚固方法优化,得到最佳碳纤维束铆钉锚固深度约为80mm,最佳锚固间距约为200mm。     

Investigation into the time-dependent behaviour of reinforced concrete specimens strengthened with externally bonded CFRP-plates

This paper deals with the influence of an external CFRP-reinforcement on the time dependent behaviour of flexural concrete beams. For this purpose, four reinforced concrete beams are tested in relaxation under three-point bending. Three of the four are strengthened with a composite plate bonded to their tensile soffit. The latter is not strengthened. The phenomenon of relaxation leads to a decrease in the loading force in the course of time. The test results are analysed in three ways: the first is a comparison between the global behaviour of the four beams. The second is a detailed analysis of the internal equilibrium of the beams in the course of time. The third is a global approach based on an incremental method suited to time analysis of composite structures. It can be concluded that composite reinforcement has a positive influence on the long term behaviour of strengthened beams. Their time dependent behaviours are different depending on whether the beam is pre-cracked before being strengthened. This difference may be taken into account using a coefficient of influence applied to the composite reinforcement. The existence of a period of loading before strengthening has a positive influence on the long-term behaviour of the beam.     

模拟不中断交通状况下粘贴碳纤维布加固钢筋混凝土梁试验研究

为了调查动荷载作用下碳纤维布与钢筋混凝土梁的粘贴性能及加固效果,进行了5根模拟交通荷载(等幅正弦波形动荷载)作用下粘贴碳纤维布加固钢筋混凝土梁和1根保持荷载下粘贴碳纤维布加固钢筋混凝土梁以及2根对比梁的试验研究。试验中考虑了混凝土等级、配筋率、有无锚固条、粘贴长度、荷载幅值5个变化参数。试验结果表明,在模拟交通荷载的作用下,碳纤维布加固的钢筋混凝土梁粘贴性能满足要求,粘贴效果良好。在模拟交通荷载后的静载作用下,试验梁的抗弯承载力提高较多,加固效果明显,进一步验证了粘贴效果。     

Effect of damaged concrete cover on the behavior of corroded concrete beams repaired with CFRP sheets

Fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites are being increasingly considered for use in civil infrastructure. These materials have found the maximum current use as materials for rapid and cost-effective rehabilitation (retrofit, repair and strengthening) of deteriorating and under-strength structural concrete components. This paper presents the experimental results of damaged/repaired reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The experimental program consisted of RC rectangular beam specimens exposed to accelerated corrosion. The corrosion rate was varied from 5% to 15% which represents loss in cross-sectional area of the steel reinforcement in the tension side. Half of the damaged beams were repaired by bonding Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) sheets to the tension side to restore the strength loss due to corrosion. The other half of the beams was first cleaned by removing spalled concrete cover and rusted bars were thoroughly cleaned. A new layer of concrete was cast to replace the removed spalled concrete cover. Then the CFRP sheets were attached to the new concrete layer. Corroded beams showed lower stiffness and strength than control (uncorroded) beams. Strength of damaged beams due to corrosion was restored to the undamaged state when repaired with CFRP sheets for all repaired beams, but the stiffness was almost unchanged. However, the repaired beams with replaced concrete cover layer resisted higher loads on average of 13% compared to damaged beams repaired without replacing the concrete cover layer.     

剪跨比对CFRP加固无腹筋混凝土梁剪切破坏及尺寸效应的影响研究

剪跨比对FRP抗剪加固梁的裂缝开展和破坏模式有重要影响,但对FRP加固梁抗剪强度及尺寸效应的影响研究较少.采用三维细观数值模拟方法,考虑混凝土细观组成的非均质性及碳纤维布(CFRP)与混凝土之间的相互作用,建立了CFRP加固无腹筋钢筋混凝土梁剪切破坏力学分析模型.在验证细观模拟方法合理性的基础上,拓展模拟与分析了剪跨比...     

FATIGUE OF STEEL REINFORCEMENT BARS IN CONCRETE: A REVIEW

Abstract— During the last few years there has been an intensification of interest in the fatigue performance of steel reinforcement bars in concrete structures. Although fatigue has not proved to be a problem to date, loading cycles are becoming increasingly severe so that the margin of reserve strength is progressively being reduced. In this paper the main parameters associated with fatigue of reinforcement are reviewed with particular attention given to conditions related to highway bridges. Fatigue testing can be either axial in air or by bending of reinforced concrete beams. The latter is experimentally less convenient but simulates more closely the service environment. Endurances can be influenced by type of steel, geometry and size of the bars, nature of the loading cycle, welding and presence of corrosion. The relative behaviour of butt welded joints is considered and it is shown that the reduction in fatigue strength commonly attributed to flaws and to the stress concentrations associated with welds does not always occur for bending fatigue of reinforced concrete beams.