Strengthening of reinforced concrete beams using fiber-reinforced cementitious matrix systems fabricated with custom-designed mortar and fabrics

Abstract

The performance of a new fiber-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) system developed using custom-designed mortar and fabrics is investigated in this study. The behavior of this system is evaluated in terms of both the flexural and shear strengthening of reinforced concrete beams. Eight beams are designed to assess the effectiveness of the FRCM system in terms of flexural strengthening, and four specimens are designed to investigate their shear behavior. The parameters investigated for flexural strengthening are the number of layers, span/depth ratio, and the strengthening method. Unlike previous studies, custom fabrics with similar axial stiffness are used in all strengthening methods in this study. In the shear-strengthened specimens, the effects of the span/depth ratio and strengthening system type (fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) or FRCM) are investigated. The proposed FRCM system exhibits desirable flexural and shear strengthening for enhancing the load capacity, provides sufficient bonding with the substrate, and prevents premature failure modes. Considering the similar axial stiffness of fabrics used in both FRCM and FRP systems and the higher load capacity of specimens strengthened by the former, cement-based mortar performs better than epoxy.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

fiber-reinforced cementitious matrix / flexural strengthening / shear strengthening / carbon fiber-reinforced polymer / shear span

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