An experimental approach to the influence of partial rebar corrosion and concrete degradation on behavior of FRP-strengthened RC beams

Abstract

Human factors are one of the main reasons for structural damage as they decrease the bearing capacity and also lead to an inaccurate estimation of the structure. Previous studies show that the use of CFRP in the damaged structures can significantly increase their bending and shear capacity. This study examines the capacity and cracks distribution in eight RC (reinforced concrete) beams (210 × 250 × 250 cm), each of which was rehabilitated with seven CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced polymer) strips using the strip method. Each beam, except for the control specimen, experiences different types of concrete and rebar damages, which are finally compared with those of the control specimen. The results indicated that rebar damage in all the beams was significant and the effects of concrete damage were minimized by CFRP strips. Moreover, the force–displacement diagrams indicate the greatest force for the control specimen. Other specimens reached up to 80% of the force experienced by the control specimen. Finally, the parametric study showed that the influence of the crack width on decreasing the bearing capacity was more significant compared with the other parameters.