Effect of shear reinforcement ratio on the shear capacity of GFRP reinforced concrete beams

Abstract

The paper presents results of experimental tests carried out on concrete beams reinforced with glass fibre polymer reinforced (GFRP) bars, which have become recently one of the main substitutes for traditional steel reinforcement. GFRP bars were used in this research as the longitudinal and transverse reinforcement. An objective of the study was to investigate the influence of the shear reinforcement ratio on the shear capacity of GFRP reinforced concrete beams in comparison with the corresponding beam without shear reinforcement. Single-span, simply-supported T-section beams reinforced in flexure with 5 GFRP bars of 25 mm diameter were reinforced in shear with closed GFRP stirrups of 8 mm diameter applied in three variable spacings: 250 mm, 200 mm and 120 mm. The analysis of test results, failure modes and shear capacity is discussed in the paper in respect to investigated parameters.