Aspects of finite element modeling of strengthened RC walls with opening

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced polymers are materials used to recover/strengthen reinforced concrete structures load capacity. This material exhibits good mechanical properties with low self-weight. This work performed a series of nonlinear finite element analyses in one-way (OW) wall panels with a central cut-out opening, strengthened using carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). The experimental tests conducted by Mohammed et al. (2013) were used as a benchmark. The numerical simulations were carried out in the commercial code ATENA, in which the material and geometrical nonlinearities were accounted. As a result, the numerical models reasonably predicted the ultimate load of the walls, and all models presented a crack pattern similar to the experimental tests, verifying that the CFRP addition caused a more distributed crack pattern. The results obtained in this work revealed that CFRP strengthening caused 24-50% enhancement of the ultimate load. Additional models were carried out to extend the numerical results and proposed a new equation that can be used to predict the ultimate load of OW walls with and without CFRP strengthening.