Experimental Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened with Prestressed CFRP Shear Straps |
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| Authors: | Gyamera Kesse Janet M. Lees |
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| Affiliation: | 1Design Engineer, Tony Gee and Partners LLP, Hardy House, 140 High Street, Esher, Surrey KT10 9QJ, U.K.; formerly, Dept. of Engineering, Univ. of Cambridge, Trumpington St., Cambridge CB2 1PZ, U.K. E-mail: wgk@tgp.co.uk
2University Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Engineering, Univ. of Cambridge, Trumpington St., Cambridge CB2 1PZ, U.K. E-mail: jmL2@eng.cam.ac.uk
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| Abstract: | One promising means of increasing the capacity of existing shear-deficient beams is to strengthen the structure using external prestressed carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) straps. In this system, layers of CFRP tape are wrapped around a beam to form a strap that acts like a discrete unbonded vertical prestressing tendon. Experiments were undertaken to investigate the influence of the strap spacing, the strap stiffness, the initial strap prestress level and/or any preexisting damage on the strengthened behavior, and mode of failure. An unstrengthened control beam was tested and failed in shear. In contrast, all of the strengthened beams showed a significant increase in their ultimate load capacity with several of the strengthened beams failing in flexure. A number of different failure modes were noted and initial guidelines on the design parameters that influence the propensity for a particular failure mode were developed. |
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| Keywords: | Experimentation Shear Concrete, prestressed Fiber reinforced polymers Concrete beams |
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