Analysis of concrete beams prestressed and post-tensioned with externally unbonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer tendons

Abstract

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tendons are being increasingly used nowadays in prestressing and (or) post-tensioning concrete structures. However, designers are faced with lack of practical analysis procedure that leads to proper evaluation of their structural performance, especially when bonded prestressing is combined with unbonded post-tensioning. This paper presents an analytical procedure for these beams. It examines the load–defelction characteristics and proceeds to estimate the ultimate load carrying capacity by taking into consideration the change of stress that occurs in the externally unbonded tendons during different stages of loading. The analytical procedure uses the concept of effective moment of inertia of concrete beams. The equations used are developed by ACI Committee 440, the Intelligent Sensing for Innovative Structures (ISIS) Canada Research Network, and the Comité Euro-International du Béton - Fédération International de la Précontrainte (CEB-FIP), for calculating the deflection of beams reinforced with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) tendons. Finite element analyses have been conducted to verify the proposed analytical method. Two experimental programs were used to validate the proposed analytical method. The experimental findings of two box beams reinforced with bonded and unbonded external tendons are compared with finite element analyses and the analytical results. A full-scale test for an internally and externally prestressed double-T beam was undertaken at Construction Technology Laboratories Inc., Skokie, Illinois. The results from this experimental work were used to validate the analytical procedure.Key words: bonded CFRP tendons, concrete, post-tensioning, unbonded CFRP tendons.