Shear strengthening effectiveness with CFF strips

The present work deals with shear performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams with rectangular section. The RC beams are designed with shear deficiencies and strengthened by externally bonded carbon fibre fabrics. Four different configurations of externally bonded carbon fibre fabric strips are used to strengthen the reinforced concrete beams in shear. The carbon fibre fabric, is a dry bi-directional impregnated (epoxy resin) on site, supplied and installed by Freyssinet (TFC(R)). The experimental programme consists of two control beams and eight strengthened RC beams. The reinforced concrete beams are strengthened with carbon fibre fabric vertical strips and 45degrees inclined strips in the form of U-wrap or in the form of a ring. The objectives of this study are to investigate the influence of parameters like carbon fibre fabric span and wrapping manners on the shear capacity of strengthened RC beams. A mechanical formula is used to predict the contribution of carbon fibre fabric to shear capacity of strengthened RC beams. The results obtained by using the mechanical formula have been compared with theses obtained by test. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.