STEEL AND COMPOSITE STRUCTURES, vol.11, no.3, pp.207-223, 2011 (SCI-Expanded)
The results of an experimental investigation are presented in this paper for retrofitting of shear damaged reinforced concrete beams by using U shaped CFRP strips. The experimental program is consisted of seven shear deficient T cross sectioned 1/2 scale simply supported beam specimens. One beam was used as reference specimen, and the remaining six specimens were tested in two stages. At the first stage, specimens were shear damaged severely, and then were retrofitted by using CFRP strips with or without fan type anchorages. Finally, retrofitted beams were tested up to failure. Three different CFRP strip spacing were used such as 125 mm, 150 mm, and 200 mm. The effect of anchorages on shear strength and behavior of the retrofitted specimens is investigated. CFRP strips without anchorages improved the shear strength, but no flexural failure mode was observed. Specimens showed brittle shear failure due to peeling of CFRP strip from RC beam surface. Shear damaged specimens retrofitted with anchoraged CFRP strips showed improved shear strength and ductile flexural failure. Maximum strains at anchoraged strips were approximately 68% larger than that of strips without anchorages.