Abstract
The use of externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (EB-FRP) composites for shear strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) beams presents many challenges given the complex phenomena that come into play. Premature bond failure, the behavior of the interface layer between FRP composites and the concrete substrate, the complex and brittle nature of shear cracks, and the adverse interaction between internal steel stirrups and EB-FRP are some of these phenomena. Compared to experimental investigations, the finite element (FE) technique provides an accurate, cost-effective, and less time-consuming tool, enabling practicing engineers to perform efficient, accurate nonlinear and dynamic analysis as well as parametric studies on RC beams strengthened with EB-FRP. Since 1996, many numerical studies have been carried out on the response of RC beams strengthened using FRP. However, only a few have been related to RC beams strengthened in shear using EB-FRP composites. In addition, the analytical models that have been reported so far have failed to address and encompass all the factors affecting the contribution of EB-FRP to shear resistance because they have mostly been based on experimental studies with limited scopes. The aim of this paper is to build an extensive database of all the studies using finite element analysis (FEA) carried out on RC beams strengthened in shear with EB-FRP composites and to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses through various studied parameters.
Highlights
Given its complexity and its propensity to brittle failure without warning, the shear behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams has long been a major concern in the field of structural engineering
This study has concentrated on the evaluation of many factors affecting the accuracy of simulating RC beams strengthened in shear with externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (EB-fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)) and of parameters studied by researchers through finite element analysis (FEA)
The most relevant features drawn from the FEA and the studied parameters were as follows: (i) To achieve an accurate simulation reflecting the behavior of the real beam, the parameters and elements introduced in FEA should represent the real response of each component
Summary
Given its complexity and its propensity to brittle failure without warning, the shear behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams has long been a major concern in the field of structural engineering. Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for rehabilitation and strengthening of RC beams have gained in popularity and have reached worldwide acceptance since their first use as externally bonded (EB) fabrics/laminates to strengthen existing deficient structures in the late 1990s. Their success has been due to the high strength-to-weight ratio and the tensile strength they offer, which can compensate for the shear resistance deficiency of RC beams. The interaction between concrete and EB-FRP composites depends on various complex interacting factors
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