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The strengthening and deformation behaviour of reinforced concrete beams upgraded using prestressed composite plates

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Abstract

Externally bonded steel plates have been used world-wide for over twenty years to strengthen concrete members, but the disadvantages include the transportation and installation of heavy plates and steel corrosion. Polymeric composites avoid these disadvantages and provide an equally effective method of strengthening. The advantages of composites are exploited further by prestressing them before bonding to the concrete. This paper is concerned with the response of such prestressed members to applied load.

After strengthening with externally bonded carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) plates, a number of beams of 1.0 m and 4.5 m lengths were tested in four point bending. The plates were bonded without prestress and with prestress levels ranging from 25% to 50% of the plate strength. The ultimate capacities of the non-prestressed beams were significantly higher than those of the unplated members and plate prestress brought about yet further strengthening. Prestressed plates are utilised more efficiently than non-prestressed plates, since a given plate strain is associated with a lower structural deformation in a prestressed member. The internal steel rebars yielded at a higher proportion of the ultimate capacity in the prestressed beams. Prestressing lowers the position of the neutral axis so more of the concrete section is loaded in compression, making more efficient use of the concrete.

Résumé

Le renforcement des éléments en béton par placage de plaques d’acier est pratiqué partout dans le monde depuis plus de vingt ans; cependant cette méthode présente les inconvénients du transport et de l’installation des plaques lourdes d’acier, ainsi que de la corrosion de l’acier. Des matériaux composites-polymère évitent ces inconvénients tout en fournissant une méthode aussi efficace de renforcement. Les avantages présentés par les composites peuvent être davantage améliorés par leur précontrainte avant leur placage au béton. Ce article traite de la réponse de tels éléments précontraints sous mise en change.

Après renforcement par placage de plaques en polymère renforcé de fibres de carbone, des poutres ayant une longueur de 1,0 m et de 4,5 m ont été soumises à des essais de flexion-4 points. Les plaques étaient appliquées sans précontrainte et avec des niveaux de précontrainte allant de 25 à 50% de leur résistance. Les capacités ultimes des poutres non-précontraintes se sont montrées significativement plus hautes que celles des éléments non-renforcés par des plaques, et la précontrainte des plaques a apporté une résistance encore meilleure. Les plaques précontraintes sont plus efficaces que les plaques non-précontraintes, la contrainte sur une plaque donnée étant associée avec une déformation structurelle moindre dans l’élément précontraint. Dans les élément précontraints, les armatures métalliques internes ont cédé à une plus haute proportion de la capacité ultime. La précontrainte diminue la position de l’axe neutre et une plus grande partie de la section en béton est donc chargée en compression, résultant en une utilisation plus efficace du béton.

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Author notes

  1. H. N. Garden

    Present address: Durability and Corrosion Group, Taywood Engineering Ltd, Taywood House, 345 Ruislip Road, UB1 2QX, Southall, Middlesex, U.K.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Composite Structures Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Surrey, GU2 5XH, Guildford, Surrey, U.K.

    H. N. Garden, L. C. Hollaway & A. M. Thorne

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  1. H. N. Garden
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  2. L. C. Hollaway
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  3. A. M. Thorne
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Garden, H.N., Hollaway, L.C. & Thorne, A.M. The strengthening and deformation behaviour of reinforced concrete beams upgraded using prestressed composite plates. Mat. Struct. 31, 247–258 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02480423

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02480423

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