Effect of CFRP on Flexural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Slabs

The use of fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) fabrics offers several advantages, such as high tensile strength, corrosion resistance and light weight. Strengthening enhance the strength and serviceability of structure limitations of constructability, building operation and budget. The new advanced composite material FRP composites can be used for strengthening structural members. In the present work the behavior of rectangular reinforced concrete slab strengthened with externally bonded CFRP composites subjected to flexure is studied experimentally. The research paper represents an experimental study of the strengthening of RC slab confined with CFRP composites. Design experimental study represents the two different grades of concrete M20 and M25. Ten reinforced concrete slabs were tested for their flexural strength. In set I reinforce concrete slab with design grade M20 and M25 (S1, S2, S6, S7) were tested. In set II reinforced concrete slab with design grade M20 (S3, S4, S5) were tested. In set III reinforced concrete slab with design grade M25(S8, S9, S10) were tested. The reinforced concrete slab S1, S2, S6, S7 taken as control specimen. In set II and set III the slab strengthened with CFRP sheet with different pattern 30º,45º,90º with single wrap of FRP sheet. It is observed that the control slab specimen had less load carrying capacity than FRP strengthened slabs and concluded that the technique is promising for strengthening. Experimental data on ultimate cracking load of each reinforced concrete slab were obtained. The effect of different types and configuration of FRP and ultimate load carrying capacity, flexural strength and strain of slab were investigated. The experimental result validates with the ABAQUS software.