Experimental investigation of the use of CFRP grid for shear strengthening of RC beams

Abstract

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheet and grid have been widely applied to improve both shear and flexural strength of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. Compared to CFRP sheet, CFRP grid and sprayed mortar have advantages in dealing with the damaged concrete surface. This work examined the effectiveness of CFRP grid and sprayed mortar in enhancing the shear capacity of RC beams. Three RC beams were fabricated and two of them were strengthened by CFRP grid and sprayed mortar. Then four-points bending test was carried out to collect the data on the behavior of CFRP grid and stirrups in the three beams. The results are presented and discussed in this paper. This study evaluated the strengthening effectiveness of CFRP grid and sprayed mortar and the behavior of stirrups and CFRP grid. The difference in behaviors between stirrups and CFRP grid was analyzed.