TESTING AND FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF DELAMINATION IN RC BEAMS STRENGTHENED IN BENDING BY FRP LAMINATE

摘要

The ductility and energy absorption capacity of FRP strengthened reinforced concrete members are important when they are subjected to seismic, blast or other dynamic loads. To investigate these phenomena, in this study five 3.4 m long RC beams are built and tested to failure, and their complete load-deflection responses are measured. One beam is not strengthened and is used as a control specimen while the remaining four beams are strengthened against bending with either a different amount or type of CFRP. The strengthened beams are tested statically in three point bending. The same beams are analyzed using a nonlinear dynamic finite element analysis procedure. The predicted load-deflection curve of each beam is compared with its experimental counterpart over its entire loading range up to complete failure, and the two curves are found to be in reasonable agreement. The distinguishing feature of the present analysis is that it captures the initiation and propagation of the delamination process, as well as the complete post-peak load or softening response of each beam. It is found that the response of FRP strengthened beams is not always brittle and that after the initiation of delamination, the retrofitted beams continue to carry load and undergo appreciable deformation.