Effect of Intermediate Crack Debonding on the Flexural Strength of CFRP-Strengthened RC Beams

The flexural strength of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer plate, which fails by intermediate crack debonding, is evaluated. To consider the effect of debonding at the interface between the concrete and the CFRP plate, due to a flexural crack at the midspan, on the flexural strength of the beams, a strength reduction factor is proposed. This factor is derived from the results of flexural tests by using the model of effective strains and is defined as the ratio of the debonding strain to the ultimate strain of the CFRP plate. The validity, accuracy, and efficiency of the factor is verified by comparing analytical results with experimental data. The results of this study revealed that the strength reduction factor proposed can be used to efficiently assess the flexural strength of CFRP-strengthened RC beams with intermediate crack debonding.