Title:
Shear Capacity Prediction for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Bar-Reinforced Concrete Beams Based on Gray Correlation Analysis
Author(s):
Yunxing Du, Baoqiang Liao, Rui Zhou, and Deju Zhu
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
123
Issue:
3
Appears on pages(s):
3-16
Keywords:
fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars; gray correlation analysis method; shear capacity; stirrups
DOI:
10.14359/51742136
Date:
5/1/2026
Abstract:
The existing design standards of fiber-reinforced polymer bar-reinforced concrete (FRP-RC) beams provide conservative shear capacity and fail to accurately reflect the effects of various factors. In this study, a comprehensive analysis was conducted on 174 sets of shear capacity data for FRP-RC beams with stirrups. Gray correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlations between the longitudinal reinforcement ratio, stirrup spacing, shear span-depth ratio, and shear capacity of FRP-RC beams with stirrups. The results show that stirrup spacing and shear span-depth ratio significantly influence the shear capacity of FRP-RC beams with stirrups, and thus must be considered in shear design. Based on the results of gray correlation analysis, recommendations were proposed for modifying the shear contribution of concrete and stirrups in the calculation formula of shear capacity for FRP-RC beams with stirrups in five design standards. The accuracy of modified formulas was verified with the experimental data, which show significant improvement in the shear capacity prediction in terms of mean value, coefficient of variation, and safety factor. By incorporating a database comprising 23 FRP-RC beams with stirrups, the revised formula was comprehensively validated for its sufficient applicability in shear design of three types of FRP-RC beams with stirrups.
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