Fracture Properties of Wide-notch Concrete Beams strengthened with Near-Surface Mounted CFRP Rebar

Abstract

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is a promising engineering material nowadays. This study carried out four-point-bending fracture experiment on wide-notch-concrete beams reinforced with near-surface mounted (NSM) CFRP rebar, aiming at exploring the effect of CFRP rebar on beam fracture characteristics. The test comprised four groups concrete beam specimens (three for each) with varying reinforcing methodologies. The first group specimens were common concrete beams strengthened by one near-surface mounted CFRP bar, while the second group consisted of common concrete beams strengthened by two near-surface mounted CFRP bars. On the issue of the third group, there were three wide-notch concrete beams strengthened with one near-surface mounted CFRP bar. Lastly, three wide-notch concrete beams strengthened with two near-surface mounted CFRP bars form the group four. The study proposed various equations about the rectangular concrete beams strengthened with near-surface mounted CFRP rebar under tension-shearing condition. For both open cracks and closed cracks, the equations concluded stress intensity factor as well as extending angle in mode I and II crack types. Four-point-bending fracture experiments for wide-notch-concrete beams and numerical simulation experiments were included in this research. This research exhibited expanding direction of wing type crack under effective shearing stress by the superposition model of crack tip stress intensity factor and stress intensity factor. Four-point-bending fracture tests for wide-notch-concrete beams and numerical simulation tests are finished in this research. The tests demonstrate characteristics of crack expanding direction, extending angle, vertical displacement, maximum normal stress, shear strain rate, distribution of plastic zones. Combining the theory and reality, the experimental results were in close agreement with the numerical research.