Strengthening of RC flat slabs against punching shear with GFRP laminates adopting a hybrid technique

Abstract

Punching shear failure at the slab-column connection is one of the foremost concerns associated with reinforced concrete (RC) flat slabs. Many strengthening techniques of existing RC flat slabs against punching shear failure have been developed, one of which is an innovative hybrid strengthening technique that combines two different approaches which are near surface mount (NSM) and embedded through sections (ETS). This paper evaluates the potentialities of utilizing this hybrid strengthening technique using glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP). Also, this research intends to numerically investigate the influence of some key parameters on the punching shear strength of the slab. Moreover, the efficiency of the analytical approach for determining the punching shear strength of RC flat slabs using the critical shear crack theory (CSCT) is evaluated for RC slabs strengthened with GFRP laminates adopting the hybrid technique. The finite-element model used in this study is described and the relevant results are discussed.

Keywords

• flat slabs
• punchingshear strengthening
• gfrp laminates
• numerical simulation
• csct
• abaqus