High-strength concrete deep beams with web openings strengthened by carbon fiber reinforced plastics

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the effect of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) on the shear strengths of deep beams with web openings. A total of 18 high-strength concrete deep beams with web openings were tested. Twelve were externally wrapped with four layers of CFRP, six of them strengthened in the horizontal direction and the others in the vertical direction. The parameters of the configuration of CFRP, the sizes of the openings and the locations of the openings were covered in this study. The test results indicates the shear strengths of deep beams with openings sized <TEX>$60{\times}40mm$</TEX> were about 16% higher than that with openings sized <TEX>$68{\times}68mm$</TEX>. For deep beams with openings sized <TEX>$60{\times}40mm$</TEX>, the lower the locations of openings the higher the shear strengths were. The test results also indicate the shear strengths of deep beams with web openings strengthened by CFRP wrapped in the vertical direction can be enhanced by about 10%. However, the shear strengths of deep beams with web openings strengthened by CFRP wrapped in the horizontal direction can only be enhanced by about 6%. The shear strengths of deep beam, with different size and location of web openings and strengthened by different configuration of CFRP can be reasonably predicted by the empirical formulas of Kong and Sharp.