Modelling of CFRP-concrete shear-lap tests

Abstract This paper presents a study of the bond characteristics of CFRP bonded on concrete using a wet lay-up method. The study involves implementing an experimental program and developing numerical and theoretical models. Twenty-six single shear-lap tests were carried out. Some of the parameters varied were CFRP bond length, CFRP thickness and CFRP width. Two main failure modes were observed: interfacial debond and shear-tension failure. In the FE model, the bond behaviour was simulated using a fine mesh near the bond surface. Concrete cracking was taken into account using a rotating crack model. Predictions from this FE model for ultimate loads, crack patterns at failure, CFRP strain distributions agreed well with the experiments. A theoretical model was also developed and verified against both the test data in the present study and a large database of tests found in literature. The model proved to predict the bond capacity quite accurately.