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Mechanical behavior of cracked beams strengthened with composites: application of a full-field measurement method

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Abstract

The mechanical behavior of pre-cracked Steel-Reinforced Concrete beams strengthened with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer laminates bonded on the bottom surface is addressed. The displacement fields over the lateral face of beams loaded under four-point bending are measured with the grid method. The analysis of the results in the constant moment span is achieved at two different scales: local and global.

At the global scale, the parameters of a classical beam of Bernoulli (curvature and neutral axis) are identified. It is proved that they can characterize the structural behavior both before and after repair.

At the local scale, the cracks are localized and their width is measured. It shows that the stress distribution is modified between tensile cracks due to the bridging effect by the composite laminate, leading to the creation of new smaller cracks.

The investigation of the bridging effect by the composite laminate is of major interest for the characterization of a possible enhancement of pre-cracked RC beam serviceability. It has already been addressed in the literature but some confusion still remained. The present experimental study clearly shows that it is mostly located in the cover concrete and that the composite slightly modifies the beam mechanical behavior.

Résumé

Les auteurs proposent une étude du comportement mécanique de poutres en béton armé préfissurées puis renforcées par matériaux composites, collés sur la face tendue. Les champs de déplacement sont mesurés avec la méthode de grille sur la surface latérale des poutres chargées en flexion quatre points. L'analyse des résultats dans la zone de moment constant est réalisée à deux échelles différentes: locale et globale.

A l'échelle globale, les paramètres du modèle de Bernoulli pour la flexion des poutres (courbure et axe neutre) sont identifiés. Ils sont caractéristiques du comportement global de la structure avant et après réparation.

A l'échelle locale, les fissures sont localisées et leur ouverture est mesurée. On montre alors que la répartition des contraintes est modifiée après la réparation. Le pontage des fissures par le matériau composite conduit à la création de nouvelles fissures, plus fines.

L'examen de ce phénomène permet de quantifier l'efficacité de la réparation sous des chargements de service. La présente étude va plus loin que les résultats disponibles dans la littérature en montrant bien que le pontage de fissure est localisé au niveau du béton d'enrobage et que le matériau composite ne modifie que légèrement le comportement global de poutre.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department, SMS division, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint-Etienne, 158 Cours Fauriel, 42023, Saint Etienne Cedex 2, France

    S. Avril & A. Vautrin

  2. L2MS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, 43 boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France

    P. Hamelin

Authors
  1. S. Avril
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  2. A. Vautrin
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  3. P. Hamelin
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Editorial note P. Hamelin is a RILEM Senior Member.

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Avril, S., Vautrin, A. & Hamelin, P. Mechanical behavior of cracked beams strengthened with composites: application of a full-field measurement method. Mat. Struct. 36, 379–385 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02481063

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02481063

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