Theoretical Analysis and Finite Element Modelling of Reinforced Concrete Beam Shear-Strengthened with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer

Abstract

In this research, the behaviour of structural RC members strengthened with externally bonded (EB) carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) was investigated. A finite element modelling was performed on retrofitted, with reinforced concrete beam. The FE modelling phase consisted of two models of control beam and RC beams strengthened in shear, using carbon FRP (CFRP) for simulation of RC simply supported beam under a static load. The Abaqus was used for all modelling. The results of FEM were compared with the experimental results obtained from Siddiqui (2009). The hand calculations were compared with the experimental results obtained from Siddiqui (2009). The results indicated that the calculation formula for the shear capacity of CFRP shear-strengthened RC beams proposed in this paper is highly accurate. This means the calculated results for the shear strength of a rectangular beam according to the four models the ACI model (2008), the Triantafillou model (2000), Khalifa et al. (2000) and Fib (2001) was close to that the results provided by the experimental data when taking an average of the formulas.. The finite element modelling using the Abaqus software successfully sublimates the behaviour of RC beam with externally bonded CFRP. When the outputs were compared with the experimental study and hand calculations, the acceptable results were observed. Thus, finite element analysis shows that the initial response is slightly stiffer than the test results.