AN INVESTIGATION ON RC BEAMS STRENGTHENED IN SHEAR USING THE EMBEDDED THROUGH-SECTION FRP METHOD

摘要

This paper presents results of an analytical and experimental investigation on reinforced concrete (RC) T-beams strengthened in shear with embedded through-section (ETS) fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP). The ETS FRP rod method is a promising method to increase the shear strength of RC beams. As this method develops, the structural behaviour of RC beams strengthened with the ETS method needs to be thoroughly characterized and the influencing parameters to be addressed. In this research study, nine tests were performed on 4520-mm-long RC T-beams. The parameters of this study are: (i) the effect of the surface coating on the FRP bars; (ii) the effect of internal transverse-steel reinforcement on the FRP shear contribution; (iii) the effect of FRP bar spacing; and (iv) the effect of the FRP rod diameter. The main objective of the study is to analyze the behaviour of RC T-beams strengthened in shear with ETS FRP rods by varying the parameters just mentioned.