SHEAR STRENGTH OF R/C BEAMS WRAPPED WITH CFRP FABRIC

The emergence of high strength epoxies has enhanced the feasibility of increasing the shear strength of concrete beams by wrapping with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) fabric. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the increase in shear strength of concrete beams wrapped with different configurations of CFRP fabric. Shear tests are conducted up to failure on two reinforced concrete control beams and twelve reinforced concrete beams wrapped with four different configurations of CFRP fabric. An analytical procedure is presented to predict the shear strength of beams wrapped with CFRP fabric. Comparisons are made between the test results and the analytical calculations. The shear strength is increased up to 33% on concrete beams wrapped with CFRP fabric at an angle of +/- 45 deg to the longitudinal axis of the beam.