Debonding analysis of FRP-to-concrete interfaces between two adjacent cracks in plated beams under temperature variations

Abstract

Externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been widely used for the strengthening and repairing of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. Existing studies have denstrated that the full-range behavior and the associated debonding mechanism of the FRP-to-concrete interface between two adjacent cracks in the FRP-plated RC beam are different from those of the pull-off bonded joint. Moreover, the bond behavior between the FRP and the concrete may be affected by interfacial thermal stresses induced by the service temperature variations (i.e., the thermal loadings). Based on a fully reversible bilinear bond-slip model, this paper presents an analytical study to investigate the full-range deformation behavior of the FRP-to-concrete interface between two adjacent cracks under combined mechanical and thermal loadings. The analytical results have indicated that the thermal loadings may significantly influence the full-range deformation behavior and the axial stress distribution of the FRP plate, although the material properties of concrete, adhesive, and FRP are assumed to be not affected by the service temperature variations. A temperature increase leads to an increase in the ultimate load of the bond interface and vice versa. A finite element (FE) model with different considerations of the bondline damage is developed to verify the proposed analytical solution. The reliability of the proposed analytical solution is then validated by the comparisons between the analytical results and the corresponding predictions provided by the FE model.