Flexural and shear strengthening of reinforced concrete beams using FRP composites: A state of the art

Abstract

During the past few decades, strengthening and rehabilitation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures using fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been considered one of the most promising techniques to achieve the required strengthening and structure life span. Old structures require maintenance and repair because of harsh environments, natural disasters, changes in applied loads, corrosion of reinforcement, and poor maintenance. Many studies have been carried out on flexural and shear strengthening of RC structures using different FRP materials under different schemes. Externally bonded (EB), anchorage, and near-surface mounted (NSM) approaches were the main strengthening techniques addressed by researchers, both experimentally and theoretically. The goal of this work is to give a summary of the literature on the flexural and shear behavior of RC beams reinforced with FRP materials under various schemes. The efficiency of various types of FRP materials and processes has also been considered. Moreover, it illustrates a cost comparison of different strengthening schemes and the limitations of FRP strengthening. This paper also outlines knowledge gaps and possible research directions for FRP-strengthened structures, leading to a greater understanding and the establishment of design guidelines.