In recent two decades, the bonding of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) on the tensile side of concrete members has been accepted as an effective and efficient method for strengthening and retrofitting concrete structures. In the present study, to investigate the…
In recent two decades, the bonding of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) on the tensile side of concrete members has been accepted as an effective and efficient method for strengthening and retrofitting concrete structures. In the present study, to investigate the failure behavior of the FRP strengthened concrete beams under practical conditions, the experimental tests different from the three-point or four-point bending tests are performed. To simulate a continuously supported concrete member, hogging moments are applied on the two ends of a beam specimen to achieve compression zones near the supports. The experimental parameters include the hogging-to-sagging moment ratio, the distance between the plate end and the support, FRP thickness and so on. According to the test results, with end zones of the FRP plate anchored within the compression zone, the longitudinal compression around the plate end can lead to a transition of failure mode from plate end failure to crack-induced debonding, associating with a corresponding enhancement of the moment capacity. For the beams failed in the mode of intermediate crack induced debonding, increasing the distance between the plate end and the support caused decrease of the ultimate debonding moment. For the beams with different hogging-to-sagging moment ratios, increasing the plate thickness may result in change of the failure mode or increase of the ultimate failure moment.