Shear Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Beams Using Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Wraps
Abstract
Studies have shown that fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) wraps can improve the capacity of rectangular beam sections. This technology has potential application to highway bridges that may have less shear capacity than flexural capacity or require added load capacity to handle current traffic demands. Compared with steel repair materials FRP offers several benefits, such as corrosion resistance and field-workability. Several studies have investigated the use of externally bonded FRP sheets to improve strength and stiffness of reinforced concrete (R/C) beams, but most have addressed flexural strength, not shear. The objective of the current study was to test the effectiveness of FRP wraps in repairing full-scale prestressed high-strength concrete joists fabricated with insufficient shear reinforcement. Four prestressed high-strength concrete tee-beams (joists) with integral web openings were tested. Two of the joists were repaired or upgraded with FRP wraps to improve shear performance and two were used as control specimens. Performance criteria were specified, and standard structural engineering practice for shear design was employed to determine wrap thickness. The results of the tests indicate that significant increases in the shear strength of R/C beams with insufficient shear capacity can be achieved by proper application of FRP wraps.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA359462
Entities
People
- Orange S. Marshall
- Pamalee A. Brady
Organizations
- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory