Tiago Carvalho
in
Reforço à flexão de vigas de betão armado com compósitos de CFRP (MSc Thesis)
The infrastructure’s sustainability is undeniably one of the most relevant problematic of the global structural engineering community in our days. Therefore, being a core part of the technological development, the researchers must assume their responsibility on the achievement of more efficient, durable and sustainable structural strengthening systems.
The present thesis focused on the experimental study of the structural behavior of two prominent CFRP composite strengthening systems, namely, Epoxy Bonded Reinforcement (EBR) and Near Surface Mounted Reinforcement (NSMR).
Five RC beams were tested until rupture in a four-point bending test system, in order to understand the structural behavior of the solutions under the action of different loading patterns (monotonic and cyclical).
The experimental output was analyzed through different parameters, such as the application process, the serviceability conditions, the systems ductility, the maximal strengthening capacity and the FRP usage rate.
A non-linear cross-sectional numeric model was developed to simulate the behavior of RC externally strengthened beams. The representativeness of model was analyzed under comparison with the experimental tests results. Recommendations of some of the most prominent literature regarding collapse prediction were introduced onto the model and the results further analyzed.