Development of design rules for retrofitting by adhesive bonding or bolting either FRP or steel plates to RC beams or slabs in bridges and buildings

Bonding plates to reinforced concrete (RC) structures is a mechanically efficient form of retrofitting that is also inexpensive and unobtrusive. However, bonding plates to RC structures is an extremely complex engineering problem as research has shown that bonded plates are prone to about 30 mechanisms of failure. This paper describes the various techniques of plating that are now available for retrofitting, illustrates some of the various failure mechanisms that can occur and the development of their design rules, and discusses the choices between adhesive bonding and bolting, and the choice between steel and fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) plating. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.