Investigation on RC beams strengthened with hybrid fibre reinforced polymer laminates wrapped at flexure zone

Abstract

To strengthen the RC elements, FRP laminates play a vital role as external bonding member or agent. To enhance ultimate strength capacity and the ductility Hybrid FRP laminates (Combination of Glass and Carbon fiber) can be widely used. The effectiveness of Hybrid FRP laminates as strengthening material on ductile behaviour of reinforced concrete beams wrapped at the soffit of the beams is studied so as to determine the flexural behaviour of the beam. Three control beams and three beams strengthened with hybrid FRP sheets, totally six under reinforced flexural deficient beams were cast and tested under four point bending test set up to its ultimate failure load. The present study also deals with the effectiveness of the epoxy resin in bonding twin layers of GFRP–CFRP fabric as a strength enhancing material for reinforced concrete beams. From the overall experimental investigation it can be observed that there is an appreciable increase in ultimate load carrying capacity of the beams strengthened with hybrid FRP laminates.