IJSTE - International Journal of Science Technology & Engineering | Volume 2 | Issue 11 | May 2016

ISSN (online): 2349-784X

Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Beams

Strengthened by CFRP Wraps
MohammadShahrukh G. Surti
PG Student
L.J. Institute of Engineering & Technology

Vaibhav Doshi
Assistant Professor
L.J. Institute of Engineering & Technology

Abstract
The paper presents an experimental activity carried out on RC beams strengthened in flexure and shear with different configurations
of CFRP laminates. Currently many building and other structure are deteriorated due to age or poor construction. There are many
techniques used for retrofitting purpose like jacketing, fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) wrapping etc. This research is basically to
strengthen and redesign existing structure. This research work includes Strengthening of full size beam
(150mm*150mm*1000mm). Flexure or shear-critical beams were provided with CFRP longitudinal sheets like single layer, double
layers etc or U-wraps, respectively. Flexureshear critical beams were provided with shear or combined systems. Concrete beams
reinforced internally with steel and externally with carbon FRP. Laminate applied after the concrete had cracked were tested under
two-point bending. Result show that FRP is very effective for flexural strengthening. Different type of wrapping of the FRP
laminate combined with adhesive bonding is effective in anchoring the laminate.
Keywords: Carbon fiber, Moment carrying capacity, Retrofitting, Strengthening, Wrapping
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I.

INTRODUCTION

A structure is designed for a specific period and depending on the nature of the structure and surrounding environment, its life
varies. Depending on usage of structure life of the structure are decided. During the life span of structural deterioration happens.
The deterioration can be mainly due to environmental effects, which includes corrosion of steel, gradual loss of strength with
ageing, repeated high intensity loading, variation in temperature, freeze-thaw cycles, contact with chemicals and saline water and
exposure to ultra-violet radiations. Now to compensate deterioration, structure should be either replaced or properly retrofitted. As
complete replacement or reconstruction of the structure costs very high compared to strengthening or retrofitting, so generally it is
preferred to retrofit or strengthened the structure.
Retrofitting works are generally done by some techniques like FRP wrapping, Jacketing, near surface mounting reinforcing etc.
Till date mainly Glass fibers, carbon fibers, basalt fiber, aramid fiber etc. are used for retrofitting works. Carbon fibers can be used
for the same purpose. Carbon fiber has very high tensile strength and is also very lightweight. When it bonded to the exterior of a
concrete column, beam, or slab, it can add significant strength without adding weight that would increase the load on foundations
and other structural members. Carbon fiber can be bonded to concrete, masonry, steel and wood structures using a specially
formulated structural epoxy to increase the load carrying capacity and ductility.
II. PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
Physical Properties
Carbon Fibre has High Strength to Weight Ratio (also known as specific strength). Carbon Fibre is very rigid. Carbon fibre is very
rigid. Carbon fibre reinforced plastic is over 4 times stiffer than Glass reinforced plastic, almost 20 times more than pine, 2.5 times
greater than aluminium. Carbon fibre is Corrosion Resistant and Chemically Stable. Although carbon fibre themselves do not
deteriorate measurably, Epoxy is sensitive to sunlight and needs to be protected. Carbon fibre is Electrically Conductive. Carbon
Fibre has good Tensile Strength and fatigue resistance. Carbon fibre can be made to feel quite soft to the hand and can be made
into or more often integrated into protective clothing for firefighting. Carbon fibre low coefficient of thermal expansion. Carbon
Fibres are brittle, in other words carbon fibre does not bend much before failing. Carbon is also very good resistor of ultra-violate
rays. They do not degrade under ultra-violate rays. Carbon Fibre is Relatively Expensive. The low maintenance requirement of
carbon fibre is a further advantage.
Mechanical Properties
Mechanical properties of Carbon fibres are as given in following Table 1.

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Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened by CFRP Wraps

(IJSTE/ Volume 2 / Issue 11 / 057)

Table 1
Mechanical Properties
Technical data

300 g/m2

Weight per unit area of sheet (g/m2)

330

Elastic modulus

(KN/mm2)

260

Tensile strength (N/mm2)

Fibre weight

(g/m2)

3900

(main direction)

300

Density (g/cm3)

1.8

Elongation at rupture (%)

1.55

Design thickness (Fibre weight/density) (mm)

0.176

III. MATERIAL USED IN EXPERIMENTS

Carbon Fibre
Carbon fibre has very high tensile strength and is also very lightweight. When it bonded to the exterior of a concrete column, beam,
or slab, it can add significant strength without adding weight that would increase the load on foundations and other structural
members. Carbon laminate is a stiff composite plate use to enhance the flexural and moment enhancement for structure. It is
available in Rolls of 100 m, 150 m, or cut to size. An unwinding reel is available upon request. Special dimension upon Request.
Its elastic modulus is 260 kn/mm2 and tensile strength is 3900 n/mm2.
Epoxy
Epoxy resin are generally low molecular weight pre-polymers capable of being processed under a variety of conditions. Two
important advantage of these resin over unsaturated polyester are: First they can be partially cures and stored in the state and they
exhibit low shrinkage during cure. It is a 100% solids low viscosity epoxy resin able to cure in the presence of moisture and at
temperatures as Low as 2 C
. The chemical resin has high chemical and corrosion resistance, good mechanical and thermal
properties. It has two components, A resin and B hardener. Ratio of the components by weight is 100 parts of component B to
50 parts of component A shown in fig 1. Mixing is done thoroughly for 5 min with low speed mixer at 400 rpm until components
are thoroughly dispersed. The properties of epoxy are mention in Table 2.

Fig. 1: Epoxy adhesive applying on beam

Table - 1
Epoxy properties
Properties (unit)
Value
Density (kg/1)
1.10 + 0.01
Mix Ration (Resin : Hardener)

50:100

Packing size (kg)

Tensile Strength (N/mm2)

15 Kg
22

Flexural Strength (N/mm2)

Initial tackiness (hours)
Final Set (Days)
Bond strength in concrete
Coverage

52
1.0
1 (Days)
Failure in concrete
0.25 0.35 kg / sq meter

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Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened by CFRP Wraps

(IJSTE/ Volume 2 / Issue 11 / 057)

Concrete
Concrete used in this experiment are of M25 grade general concrete. No any admixture is used.
IV. MIX DESIGN
The specified design strength of concrete is 25MPa at 28 days. The specific gravity of Fine Aggregates (FA) and Coarse Aggregates
(CA) is 2.61 and 2.84 respectively. The standard deviation can be taken as 5MPa. Ordinary Portland cement was used of 53grade.
Coarse aggregate is found to be Absorptive to the extent of 1% and free surface moisture in sand is found to be 2%. According to
IS10262-1982 clause 3.3 Table no 3. The mixing water content calculated is 178 kg/m 3. Mix proportion of M25 grade is shown in
Table 3 & 4.

Water

Cement

178

360 kg

0.49

Table - 2
Mix proportion
Fine Aggregates Coarse Aggregates
697 kg

1213 kg

1.94
3.37
Table - 3
Concrete mix design quantities
Grade of concrete: M25
Coarse aggregate(20mm): 2.65
Type of exposure: Mild
Coarse Aggregate(10mm): 2.65
Sp. Gravity of cement: 3.15 Maximum Water Cement Ratio: 0.4 95
Fine Aggregate: 2.65

V. TEST PROGRAM AND RESULT

Test Program
Table 5 summarizes the general experimental test program. This program consisted of testing twenty-one rectangular beams in
order to evaluate the effect of externally bonded CFRP laminates to the different strengthening scheme for the entire beam length.
A total of eighteen reinforced concrete beams having different CFRP configurations were fabricated in the laboratory for the
strengthening purposes. First beam (designated as CB) was not bonded with CFRP laminates, nine beams (FB-1L, FB-2L, FBML) were bonded with different layers of CFRP laminates (1, 2 layers and mid span layers respectively) and the nine beams
(designated as FB-UL, FB-PUL, FB-AL ) were bonded with one layer CFRP laminates (U-shaped edge strips, partially U-shaped
strips,45 degree strips).These transverse CFRP laminates provide anchorage for the longitudinal plate, and considered effective in
preventing de-bonding failure of laminates from the concrete surface.
Table - 4
Test program

Beam
designation

Control (not
bonded)

1-layer
bonded

2-layer
bonded

At mid
span

Fully Ushaped

Partially U-shaped
strips

45 degree
strips

CB

FB-1L

FB-2L

FB-ML

FB-UL

FB-PUL

FB-AL

Cured
28 days

Table - 5
Curing specimen details (150x150x1000mm):
CB
FB-1L FB-2L FB-ML FB-UL FB-PUL
3 nos. 3 nos. 3 nos.
3 nos.
3 nos.
3 nos.

FB-AL
3 nos.

The beams CB, FB-1L, FB-2L, FB-ML, FB-UL, FB-PUL, FB-AL cured for 28 days were tested on the Flexural Testing machine.
The following results of failure load were found out for Plain concrete beams, One sided CFRP wrapped concrete beams, Two
sided parallel CFRP wrapped concrete beams, Two sided parallel CFRP, at mid span CFRP, U shaped strips CFRP, partially U
shaped strips CFRP, 45 degree strips CFRP. The details of the load are thus given in the table 7 below.

Table - 6
Deflection and Load result
Point load (KN)
CB FB-1L FB-2L FB-ML
33
33
33
33

53

53

53

53

53

6
8

64
76

64
84

64
96

64
132

64
113

10

86

92

102

141

124

Deflection

FB-UL
33

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Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened by CFRP Wraps

(IJSTE/ Volume 2 / Issue 11 / 057)

12

91

99

106

145

126

14
16

86
61

102
67

109
98

149
121

131
101

Comparison of normal crack beam at 6mm deflection without wrapping to single layer carbon wrapping, double layer wrapping,
at mid span wrapping, u shaped strips wrapping crack beam at 6 mm deflection. Figure 2 shows the graphical representation of
moment carrying capacity(kn-m) versus deflection(mm) graph and Figure 3 shows the graphical representation of point load(KN)
versus deflection(mm) graph as below.

Fig. 2: Moment carrying capacity (kn-m) versus deflection (mm) graph

Fig. 3: Point load (KN) versus deflection (mm) graph

Result
From the above results and graphs following observations are made :
Table - 7
Result of moment carrying capacity
Sr.No

Beam description

Increase in moment carrying capacity comparing with Plain Concrete beam. (%)

Single layer wrapping

12-18

2
3
4

Double layer wrapping

At centre span wrapping
U shaped strips wrapping

15-30
35-50
60-75

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Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened by CFRP Wraps

(IJSTE/ Volume 2 / Issue 11 / 057)

Also the strength of beam wrapped at tension side was greater than the beams wrapped at two parallel sides. Therefore, from
the above results the beam wrapped at tension side gives better results so from economic point of view CFRP wrapped at tension
sides is desirable.
VI. CONCLUSION
From the above experiment it is clear that with the help of fabric wrapping strength of the existing member increase. For the
mentioned size of the beam it is clear that if we wrapped the beam with mentioned carbon fabric than minimum 1.5 times strength
increase in the both the case flexure and shear. Moment carrying capacity of single layer beam, double layer beam, at centre and
fully u shaped beam is increase by 12-18%, 15-30%, 35-50% and 60-75% respectively. Maximum moment carrying capacity of
single layer beam, double layer beam, at centre and fully u shaped beam is 15.3 kn-m, 16.35 kn-m, 19.65 kn-m and 22.35 kn-m
respectively.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
For this thesis work I would like to thanks to my guide Mr.Vaibhav Doshi for their sincere guidance and help to carry out my
experiments.
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