Study on the Evaluation of Fatigue Life of RC Beams Strengthened with FRP Laminates

Abstract

Extensive tests have shown that externally bonded fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates are particularly suited for improving the short-term and long-term behavior of deficient reinforced concrete (RC) beam. Fatigue tests conducted to date indicate that fatigue life of RC beam bonded with FRP laminates lies in the response of steel rebar. Study on the method of nominal elastic stress (strain) for evaluating life-span of FRP strengthened beam is carried out in this paper. By analyzing fatigue tests, the acceptable stress concentration factors and S-N curves are suggested to be used to account for the fatigue behavior of RC beams strengthened with FRP laminates. Analytical results are compared with experimental data from two sets of fatigue tests on stresses and life-span, which shows agreeable trend. Based on the findings, the approach of nominal elastic stress (strain) can be extended to evaluate the fatigue life of RC beam bonded with FRP laminates.