Utilization of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer for Strengthening of Structural Light-weight Reinforced Concrete One-way Slabs

Abstract

Among many manufacturing industries, civil engineering sectors have been more involved in incorporating fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. These composite materials have been selected as an appropriate solution for strengthening reinforced concrete structural elements because of their excellent tensile strength, high strength to weight ratio, and simplicity of implementation. This experimental study aims to evaluate the flexural behaviors of structural light-weight reinforced concrete (SLWC) one-way slabs strengthened with different patterns of CFRP. The proposed material in the current study is using pumice aggregate as a full replacement of natural coarse aggregate. Four structural light-weight concrete (SLWC) slabs with the dimensions of 1200 mm long, 450 mm wide, and 80 mm thick were cast and tested to failure. One slab has been taken as a control and the other samples are strengthened with five strips in one layer, ten strips in two layers and full wrap CFRP. The samples are tested under a four-point load bending test setup until failure. Each of the ultimate loads, mid-span deflection, cracking loads, crack patterns, and failure modes were well evaluated. The results showed that, strengthening with CFRP composites significantly increases load-carrying capacity. Strengthening with five strips, ten strips, and full wrap with CFRP increased the ultimate capacity by 115%, 138%, and 170% respectively and decreased mid-span deflection by 43%, 58%, and 55% compared to the reference specimen respectively.

Keywords

• strengthening,
• structural light-weight concrete,
• frp composites,
• one-way slabs,
• flexural behavior