The influence of externally bonded longitudinal TRC reinforcement on the crack pattern of a concrete beam

Author(s): S. Verbruggen, J. Wastiels, T. Tysmans, O. Remy, S. Michez
Paper category: Conference
Book title: Concrete Repair, Rehabilitation and Retrofitting III (ICCRRR)
Editor(s): M.G. Alexander, H.-D. Beushausen, F. Dehn, P. Moyo
Print ISBN: 978-0-415-89952-9
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Pages: 449- 450
Total Pages: 2
Language: English

Abstract: 
Often it is more economical to strengthen or repair structures than to demolish and afterwards rebuild them. Several strengthening and repair systems are commercially available at the moment; one of the most common systems is the externally bonded Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strip. This interesting system shows however some drawbacks like its bad resistance to high temperatures and the high cost of the used carbon fibres. The use of strips made of glass fibre reinforced Inorganic Phosphate Cement (IPC) can possibly offer an answer to these drawbacks. High fibre contents (20% in volume and more), which can be obtained with fibre mats, allow for thin and light strips, which are easy to install.
This paper experimentally investigates the influence of external longitudinal reinforcement, made of glass fibre reinforced IPC, on the crack pattern and cracking moment of a plain concrete beam. During a four point bending test, Digital Image Correlation (DIC) monitors the displacements, and thus strains, at the side and the bottom surfaces of the beams in the constant moment zone. In this way, the crack pattern evolution can be visualized. An important observation during these tests is that the first cracks appear at the calculated cracking moment, but that the beams retain their high initial bending stiffness up to an applied moment that is approximately 50% higher than the calculated one. This phenomenon can be ascribed to the restraining effect of the IPC strip on crack opening and propagation.

Online publication: 2014
Publication Type: abstract_only
Public price (Euros): 0.00