Shear strengthening effect by bonded composite fabrics on RC beams

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the shear strengthening effect by bonded carbon fibre reinforced fabrics on the ultimate strength and behaviour of RC beams. A total of sixteen RC beams with or without the carbon fibre reinforced fabrics were tested in a load system by a point load at one-third of the length. The experimental results indicate that contribution of the composite fabrics on the shear capacity of the strengthened beam varies according to the applied composite fabric area, the spacing between the steel stirrups and the longitudinal steel bar diameter of the RC beam. The load–strain behaviour of the RC beam is improved by bonding the composite fabrics. The effect of the shear strengthening on the deflection, the longitudinal steel bar strains, the concrete strains, the stirrup and the composite fabric strains depends strongly on the strengthening area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]