Viable retrofit schemes are necessary to delay or offset replacement of deteriorating concrete bridge members Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) pultruded plates can be especially effective when retrofitting bridge members where stiffness, fatigue resistance, ease of installation, and weathering characteristics are a concern.nThe research reported in Chapter 1 was undertaken to examine the influence of fatigue loading, prior cracking, and patch matenals on flexural performance of reinforced concrete members retrofitted with externally bonded CFRP plates. Moreover, experimental data from the six reinforced concrete beams tested as part of this search are expected to further evaluate available design equations for external retromting of reinforced concrete structures. The test results do not suggest a significant effect of fatigue toads, show that existing cracks do not significantly impact the strength of retrofitted members, and indicate that patch materials can reduce the available bond strength, and require additional surface preparation.
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