Tests and Design Provisions for Reinforced-Concrete Beams Strengthened in Shear Using FRP Sheets and Strips

Numerous investigations of RC beams strengthened in shear with externally-bonded (EB) fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets, plates and strips have been successfully conducted in recent years. These valuable studies have highlighted a number of influencing parameters that are not captured by the design guidelines. The objective of this study was: (1) to highlight experimentally and analytically the influential parameters on the shear contribution of FRP to RC beams strengthened in shear using EB FRP sheets and strips; and (2) to develop a set of transparent, coherent, and evolutionary design equations to calculate the shear resistance of RC beams strengthened in shear. In the experimental part of this study, 12 tests were performed on 4,520-mm-long T-beams. The specimens were strengthened in shear using carbon FRP (CFRP) strips and sheets. The test variables were: (1) the presence or absence of internal transverse-steel reinforcement; (2) use of FRP sheets versus FRP strips; and (3) the axial rigidity of the EB FRP reinforcement. In the analytical part of this study, new design equations were proposed to consider the effect of transverse-steel in addition to other influential parameters on the shear contribution of FRP. The accuracy of the proposed equations has been verified in this study by predicting the FRP shear contribution of experimentally tested RC beams.