Title: Strengthening of Concrete Structures With Prestressed Fiber Reinforced Plastic Sheets

Author(s): T. C. Triantafillou, N. Deskovic, and M. Deuring

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 89

Issue: 3

Appears on pages(s): 235-244

Keywords: adhesives; bonding; composite materials; epoxy resins; external prestressing; plastics, polymers, and resins; structural analysis; Structural Research

DOI: 10.14359/2940

Date: 5/1/1992

Abstract:
Although the use of composite materials has increased significantly over the years, its application to civil engineering structures has been limited. High strength, corrosion resistance, and electromagnetic neutrality make fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) suitable candidates in many applications, including strengthening and development of new members. In this study, the authors establish a new method of strengthening and/or reinforcing concrete structures involving external bonding of pretensioned FRP sheets on their tension zones. An analytical model for the maximum achievable prestress developed inn an earlier study is summarized and verified with tests; a remarkable agreement between theory and experiment was found. Additional studies, both experimental and analytical, on the flexural behavior of concrete beams reinforced with FRP sheets demonstrate the superior performance of the hybrid system and emphasize its favorable strength, stiffness, and ductility characteristics. 245-492