Impact behavior of low strength concrete slab strengthened with fan type anchored carbon fiber-reinforced polymer strips

This study investigated the behavior of slabs produced with low compressive strength concrete without reinforcements under the effect of sudden dynamic impact loading. In addition, an experimental study was conducted by proposing a strengthening method with anchored carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips to strengthen the nonreinforced slabs with low-strength concrete against sudden dynamic impact loads to improve their performance. The variables examined in the experimental study were the placement of the CFRP strips adhered to the concrete slabs for strengthening purposes and anchors in the strips. A constant energy level of impact loading was applied to the concrete slab test specimens with the authors' free weight drop test setup. The acceleration-time, displacement-time, strain-time, and applied impact loading-time measurements on the concrete slabs were examined, and comments were made about the strengthening method applied to the slab test specimens. In addition, numerical analysis of the tested concrete slabs with ABAQUS finite element software was performed, and the results were compared with the experimental results. In the comparison, it was investigated to what extent numerical analysis and this type of impact analysis can be done realistically and compatible with the experimental results. Within the scope of the study, the strengthening method applied with fan- type anchored CFRP strips significantly improved and increased the impact performance of concrete slabs produced with low-strength concrete.