ACI STRUCTURAL JOURNAL
Title no. 98-S6
Shear Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Beams with
Near-Surface Mounted Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Rods
by Laura De Lorenzis and Antonio Nanni
The use of near-surface mounted (NSM) fiber-reinforced polymer
(FRP) rods is a promising technology for increasing flexural and
shear strength of deficient reinforced concrete (RC) members. As
this technology emerges, the structural behavior of RC elements
strengthened with NSM FRP rods needs to be fully characterized.
Eight full-size beams (two control beams and six strengthened
beams) were tested. Carbon FRP deformed rods were used for
shear strengthening. The variables examined in the shear tests
were spacing of the rods, strengthening pattern, end anchorage of
the rods, and presence of internal steel shear reinforcement. Per-
formance of the tested beams and modes of failure are presented
and discussed in this paper. The test results confirm that NSM FRP
rods can be used to significantly increase the shear capacity of RC
elements, with efficiency that varies depending on the tested vari-
ables. Results of the experimental tests are compared with the pre-
dictions of a simple model, showing reasonable agreement.
Keywords: concrete; polymer; reinforcement; rod, shear; strength.
INTRODUCTION
The use of near-surface mounted (NSM) fiber-reinforced
polymer (FRP) rods is a promising technology for increas-
ing flexural and shear strength of deficient reinforced con-
crete (RC) members. Advantages of using NSM FRP rods
with respect to externally bonded FRP laminates are the pos-
sibility of anchoring the reinforcement into adjacent RC
members, and minimal installation time (Nanni et al. 1999).
Furthermore, this technique becomes particularly attractive
for flexural strengthening in the negative moment regions of
slabs and decks, where external reinforcement would be sub-
jected to mechanical and environmental damage and would
require protective cover that could interfere with the pres-
ence of floor finishes.
Although the use of FRP rods for this application is very
recent, NSM steel rods have been used in Europe for
strengthening of RC structures since the early 1950s. The
earliest reference found in the literature dates back to 1949
(Asplund 1949). In 1948, an RC bridge in Sweden experi-
enced an excessive settlement of the negative moment rein-
forcement during construction, so that the negative moment
capacity needed to be increased. This was accomplished by
grooving the surface, filling the grooves with cement mortar
and embedding steel reinforcing bars in them. Different pos-
sible ways to obtain the grooves were examined to choose
the most convenient one. All the technological and design
problems and considerations are reported in Asplund (1949).
Currently, FRP rods can be used in place of steel and epoxy
paste can replace cement mortar. The advantage is primarily
the resistance of FRP to corrosion. This property is particu-
larly important in this case due to the rods’ position very
close to the surface, which exposes them to environmental
attacks.
60
TECHNICAL PAPER
The method used in applying the rods is described as fol-
lows. A groove is cut in the desired direction into the con-
crete surface. The size of the groove is chosen to allow for
clearance around the rod and for proper bond. The groove is
then filled halfway with epoxy paste, the FRP rod is placed
in the groove and lightly pressed. This forces the paste to
flow around the rod and fill completely any space between
the rod and the sides of the groove. The groove is then filled
with more paste and the surface is leveled.
Very limited literature is available to date on the use of
NSM FRP rods for structural strengthening. Laboratory
studies and field applications are reported in Alkhrdaji et al.
(1999), Crasto, Kim, and Ragland (1999), Hogue, Cornforth,
and Nanni (1999), Tumialan et al. (1999), Warren (1998),
Yan et al. (1999), and De Lorenzis (2000).
As this technology emerges, the structural behavior of
RC elements strengthened with NSM FRP rods needs to be
fully characterized. The FRP rods used in this experimental
study were commercially available carbon FRP (CFRP) de-
formed rods. Tensile and bond testing of the rods for appli-
cation as NSM reinforcement were carried out (De
Lorenzis 2000) to obtain a characterization at the material
and sub-system levels. Subsequently, the structural level was
examined by testing full-size beams. Both flexural and shear
strengthening were investigated. The latter is the focus of
this paper.
Eight full-size beams (two control beams and six beams
strengthened in shear with NSM FRP rods) were tested. The
examined variables were spacing of the rods, strengthening
pattern, end anchorage of the rods, and presence of internal
steel shear reinforcement. Performance of the tested beams
and modes of failure are presented and discussed in this paper.
Subsequently, results of the experimental tests are compared
with the predictions of a simple model.
EXPERIMENTAL TESTS
Specimens
Eight full-scale RC beams with a T-shaped cross section
and a total length of 10 ft (3 m) were tested. Six beams had
no internal shear reinforcement. Two beams had internal
steel stirrups at a spacing that did not satisfy the require-
ments of the ACI 318 Code (1995). The amount of steel flex-
ural reinforcement was the same for all the beams and was
designed to obtain a shear failure despite the envisioned
shear capacity enhancement provided by NSM FRP rods. As
ACI Structural Journal, V. 98, No. 1, January-February 2001.
MS No. 00-040 received February 28, 2000, and reviewed under Institute publica-
tion policies. Copyright  2001, American Concrete Institute. All rights reserved,
including the making of copies unless permission is obtained from the copyright pro-
prietors. Pertinent discussion will be published in the November-December 2001 ACI
Structural Journal if received by July 1, 2001.
ACI Structural Journal/January-February 2001
 currently used types of FRP rods. Tensile strength and mod-
ACI member Laura De Lorenzis received her MS from the Department of Civil Engi-
neering, University of Rolla-Missouri, Rolla, Mo., in May 2000. She is currently a ulus of elasticity of the CFRP rods were determined from lab-
PhD candidate in the Department of Engineering Innovation at the University of oratory testing. The average resulting values were 272 ksi
Lecce, Italy.
(1875 MPa) and 15.2 Msi (104.8 GPa) with a standard devia-
Antonio Nanni, FACI, is the V & M Jones Professor of Civil Engineering and Direc- tion of 6.9 ksi (47.6 MPa) and 0.7 Msi (4.8 GPa), respectively.
tor of the University Transportation Center (UTC) at the University of Missouri- A commercially available epoxy paste was used for embed-
Rolla. He is a member of ACI’s Concrete Research Council as well as ACI Commit-
tees 437, Strength Evaluation of Existing Concrete Structures; 440, Fiber Reinforced
ding the rods. Its mechanical properties, as specified by the
Polymer Reinforcement; 544, Fiber Reinforced Concrete; and 549, Thin Reinforced manufacturer, were: 2000 psi (13.8 MPa) tensile strength
Cementitious Products and Ferrocement; and Joint ACI-ASCE-TMS Committee 530, (ASTM D 638-99), 4% elongation at break (ASTM D 638-99),
Masonry Standards.
8000 psi (55.2 MPa) compressive yield strength (ASTM D
695-96) and 400 ksi (2757 MPa) compressive modulus
a result, the beams had a flexural reinforcement of two No. 9 (ASTM D 695-96).
steel reinforcing bars (nominal diameter 1.128 in. [28.7 The specimen details are indicated in Table 1 together
mm]). The dimensions of the beam cross section are given in with the identification codes to be used hereafter. Beam BV
Fig. 1. (no internal stirrups nor external strengthening) was used as
The average concrete strength, determined according to a baseline comparison to evaluate the enhancement in
strength provided by the NSM FRP rods. Beam BSV had in-
ASTM C 39-99 on three 6 in. (152 mm) diameter by 12 in.
ternal stirrups and no external strengthening. This beam was
(305 mm) concrete cylinders, was 4500 psi (31 MPa). The
used to quantify the contribution to the shear strength provid-
internal steel flexural and shear reinforcement had nominal
ed by the NSM FRP rods in presence of steel stirrups. In all
yield strengths of 60 and 50 ksi (414 and 345 MPa), respec- the other beams, either vertical or 45-degree grooves were
tively. The actual yield strengths, as determined from tensile saw-cut on the surface of both web sides over full depth of
tests on three coupon specimens according to ASTM A 370- the web. In two beams, these grooves continued with holes
97a, were 62 and 50 ksi (427 and 345 MPa), respectively. drilled through the flange of the beam. The CFRP deformed
CFRP deformed No. 3 rods, with a nominal diameter of reinforcing bars were then embedded in the epoxy-filled
0.375 in. (9.5 mm), were used in this program. Figure 2 grooves.
shows their surface configuration, along with that of other The variables examined in the experimental test matrix
were as follows:
Table 1—Specimen details • Spacing of the rods. Two different spacings were exam-
Steel stirrups NSM FRP rods ined, equal to 7 and 5 in. (178 and 127 mm);
Beam Spacing, Spacing, Angle, Anchorage • Inclination of the rods with respect to the longitudinal
code Quantity in. Quantity in. degrees in flange axis of the beam. Vertical as well as 45-degree rods
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
were used;
BV — — — — — —
• Anchorage in the flange. In two beams, the NSM rods
B90-7 — — 2 No. 3 7 90 No
were anchored in epoxy-filled holes drilled through the
B90-5 — — 2 No. 3 5 90 No
flange at the location of the web side grooves (B90-5A
B90-5A — — 2 No. 3 5 90 Yes
and BS90-7A); and
B45-7 — — 2 No. 3 7 45 No
• Presence of internal steel stirrups. Two beams (BSV
B45-5 — — 2 No. 3 5 45 No
and BS90-7A) had internal steel stirrups at a spacing of
BSV 2 no. 3 14 — — — — 14 in. (356 mm), that is, greater than the maximum
BS90-7A 2 no. 3 14 2 No. 3 7 90 Yes value of d/2 (where d is the depth of the longitudinal
Note: 1 in. = 25.4 mm. reinforcement) indicated by the ACI Code.

Fig. 1—Cross section of beams: (a) beams without stirrups; and (b) beams with stirrups.

ACI Structural Journal/January-February 2001 61

 All the grooves had square cross sections, with a size of those reported herein are not necessarily maximum values.
3/4 in. (19 mm). The method of application of the rods was They are strictly related to the location of the gages with re-
described in the introduction. The epoxy paste was allowed spect to that of the shear cracks.
to cure for 15 days (full cure time at room temperature) pri- The same behavior and failure mode were observed in
or to the testing of the beams. Beam B90-5, which differed from B90-7 only for the closer
spacing of the CFRP rods. The ultimate load was 57.4 kips
Procedure (255.3 kN), corresponding to an increase in capacity of 41.4%
The beams were loaded under four-point bending with a over the control beam and 10.8% over Specimen B90-7. Load
shear span of 42 in. (1067 mm). This corresponded to an a/d versus strain diagrams for Beam B90-5 are reported in Fig. 5.
ratio equal to 3.0, a being the shear span and d the depth of Strain Gage 2, located 0.5 in. from the major shear crack, re-
the longitudinal reinforcement. corded a maximum vertical strain approximately equal to
Load was applied by means of a 400 kip (200 ton) hydrau- 3000 µε. This value corresponds to 16.8% of the ultimate
lic jack connected to an electric pump and recorded with a
strain of the CFRP rods.
200 kip (100 ton) load cell. Each beam was instrumented
with four linear variable displacement transducers (LVDTs) Specimen B90-5A was identical to Specimen B90-5, ex-
placed at midspan on the two sides and at the two supports to cept that the CFRP rods were anchored in holes drilled
derive the net midspan deflection. Strain gages were applied through the beam flange as a continuation of the grooves on
on some CFRP rods and steel stirrups at various locations. the web sides. Holes and grooves were partially filled with
Figure 3 illustrates the test setup. epoxy paste, the FRP rods were then inserted through the
Load was applied in cycles of loading and unloading, with flange holes and pressed into the web grooves. Finally, the
the number of cycles depending on the maximum expected surface was finished as explained in the introduction. This de-
load. Load versus midspan deflection and load versus strain tail led to a change in the failure mode and to a substantial in-
envelopes are reported herein. crease in the beam capacity. The ultimate load was 83.5 kips
(371.4 kN), indicating an increase of 105.7, 61.2, and 45.5%
Results compared with Beams BV, B90-7 and B90-5, respectively.
Beams with no steel stirrups—During loading of Beam
BV, diagonal shear cracks formed at a load of 24.7 kips
(109.9 kN). The shear cracks initiated at the center of both
shear spans almost simultaneously. As the load increased,
one crack widened and propagated until failure resulted at a
load of 40.6 kips (180.6 kN).
In Specimen B90-7, with NSM vertical rods at a spacing
of 7 in. (178 mm), failure occurred at a load of 51.8 kips
(230.4 kN). This corresponded to an increase in capacity of
27.6% with respect to Beam BV. Diagonal shear cracks also
formed in this beam, and widened and propagated as the ap-
plied load increased. A crackling noise revealed throughout
the test the progressive cracking of the epoxy paste in which
the CFRP rods were embedded. Failure eventually occurred
by splitting of the epoxy cover in one of the NSM FRP rods
intersected by the major shear crack (Fig. 4).
The highest vertical strain in the rods was recorded at 3 in.
(76 mm) from a diagonal crack and was approximately equal
to 850 µε. It must be pointed out that this strain value and all Fig. 3—Test setup.

Fig. 2—Surface configuration of some types of FRP rods. Fig. 4—Beam B90-7 after failure.

62 ACI Structural Journal/January-February 2001

The first diagonal shear cracks became visible at a load level
approximately equal to 40 kips (177.9 kN). As the load in-
creased, more shear cracks formed throughout the shear
span, widened, and propagated. At higher load levels, sec-
ondary cracks formed in the concrete at the level of the lon-
gitudinal steel reinforcement as a result of splitting forces
developed by the deformed steel bars and of dowel action
forces. Failure eventually occurred in a sudden fashion by
loss of the concrete cover of the longitudinal reinforcement
(Fig. 6).
A maximum strain in the FRP of approximately 2300 µε
was observed. Most of the recorded strains were found to in-
crease with load up to a certain point, beyond which they start-
ed decreasing. The drop in strain can be explained as a result
of slippage of the NSM rods. The curves in Fig. 7 indicate that
slippage started in two rods at a load level between 50 and 60
kips (222.4 and 266.9 kN), that is, close to the failure load of
Beam B90-5. At higher load levels, the other rods also start-
ed slipping. In B90-5A, anchoring the rods in the flange was
effective in preventing failure of the bond between the NSM
rods and the epoxy, thus allowing the beam to carry addition-
al load also after onset of slip. As a result, the controlling
failure mechanism shifted to splitting of the concrete cover.
Specimen B45-7 had NSM rods at a spacing of 7 in.
(178 mm) inclined at 45 degrees. Failure occurred at 74.4 kips
(330.9 kN), corresponding to an increase in capacity of
83.3% over the control beam. As expected, 45 degree in-
clined rods were more effective than vertical rods at the
same spacing, as shown by the 43.6% increase in capacity of
Fig. 5—Load versus strain diagrams of Beam B90-5.
Fig. 6—Beam B90-5A after failure.
ACI Structural Journal/January-February 2001
B45-7 with respect to B90-7. Failure, as in B90-7, was con-
trolled by splitting of the epoxy cover that occurred simulta-
neously in two of the NSM FRP rods intersected by the
major shear crack (Fig. 8). The maximum recorded strain
was equal to approximately 4600 µε, corresponding to
25.7% of the ultimate strain.
Specimen B45-5 differed from B45-7 for the spacing of
the rods, equal to 5 in. (127 mm). Failure occurred at a load
level of 80 kips (355.8 kN), showing an increase in capacity
of 97, 7.5, and 39.4% over BV, B45-7, and B90-5, respec-
tively. The failure mode was the same previously described
for specimen B90-5A, that is, formation of splitting cracks
along the longitudinal reinforcement and eventual loss of the
concrete cover.
Figure 9 shows the load versus net midspan deflection di-
agrams of the six beams without steel stirrups. The data ap-
pears to be very consistent in terms of stiffness between the
different specimens. In each beam, a decrease in stiffness oc-
curred when the failure load was approached. Although
Beam B90-5A failed at the highest load, it experienced a de-
crease in stiffness at a lower load level than Beams B45-7
and B45-5. This phenomenon occurred after 60 kips (266.9
kN) of applied load, which corresponds to onset of slip of the
NSM rods, as previously inferred from the load versus strain
diagrams.
Table 2 is a summary of the test results, in terms of ulti-
mate load and failure mode.
Beams with steel stirrups—In Beam BSV, with steel stir-
rups of Grade 50 steel at a spacing of 14 in. (356 mm), shear
Fig. 7—Load versus strain diagrams of Beam B90-5A.
Fig. 8—Beam B45-7 after failure.
63
cracks widened and propagated up to the flange as the load
increased. Failure resulted at 68.9 kips (306.5 kN).
Beam BS90-7A had the same steel shear reinforcement as
BSV, and was externally strengthened with NSM vertical rods
at a spacing of 7 in. (178 mm) anchored in the flange. The ul-
timate load was 93.0 kips (413.7 kN), that is, 35% larger than
the capacity of Beam BSV. The final failure mode was split-
ting of the concrete cover as previously described for Beam
B90-5A. In this case, however, it occurred when flexural fail-
ure was already ongoing, as evident from the crushing line in
the concrete top fiber at midspan and from the load versus
midspan deflection diagram. Another difference with respect
to failure of Beams B90-5A and B45-5 is that the concrete
cover did not spall completely, due to the restraining action
of the steel stirrups. The highest value of strain recorded on
the steel stirrups was very close to the yielding strain (1724
µε ). As in the case of Beam B90-5A, the inversion point in
some of the load versus FRP-strain curves revealed the oc-
currence of slip of the FRP rods.
Figure 10 shows the load versus midspan deflection dia-
grams of the beams with steel shear reinforcement, including
Beam BV for reference.
DISCUSSION OF TEST RESULTS
Test results show that the use of NSM FRP rods is an ef-
fective technique to enhance the shear capacity of RC beams.
In absence of steel stirrups, an increase in capacity as high as
105.7% with respect to the control beam could be obtained.
Of the two beams with steel stirrups below the ACI require-
ments, the strengthened one showed an increase in capacity
of 35% over the unstrengthened one.
The shear capacity of the strengthened beams can be in-
creased by either decreasing the spacing of the NSM rods, or
anchoring the rods into the flange, or changing the inclination
of the rods from vertical to 45 degrees. These three methods
have different degrees of efficiency. Decreasing the spacing
of the rods from 7 to 5 in. (178 to 127 mm), which corre-
sponds to a 40% increase in the amount of FRP material, led
to an increase in capacity of 10.8 and 7.5% in the case of ver-
tical and 45 degrees rods, respectively. Substituting the verti-
cal rods with 45 degree rods, which corresponds to a 41.4%
increase in the material quantity, enhanced the shear capacity by
43.6 and 39.4%, for the cases of 7 and 5 in. (178 and 127 mm)
spacing, respectively. Finally, anchoring the rods in the flange
(33% more material) increased the capacity by 45.5%. These
comparisons seem to indicate that the most efficient way to in-
crease the shear capacity of an RC T-beam is by using NSM
rods anchored into the flange. Using inclined rods rather than
vertical rods is also efficient, while decreasing the spacing be-
Table 2—Summary of test results
Beam code Ultimate load, kips Failure mode
(1) (2)
BV 40.6
B90-7 51.8
B90-5 57.4
B90-5A 83.5
B45-7 74.4
B45-5 80.0
BSV 68.9
BS90-7A 93.0 SP + FF
Note: 1 kip = 4.448 kN; SC = shear compression; BF = bond failure of NSM rods; SP =
splitting of concrete cover; and FF = flexural failure.
64
tween the rods does not produce a remarkable increase in the
shear capacity.
Two failure mechanisms were observed, namely, debond-
ing of one or more FRP rods and splitting of the concrete cover
of the longitudinal reinforcement. Test results seem to indicate
that the first mechanism can be prevented by either anchoring
the NSM rods in the beam’s flange or using 45 degree rods at
a sufficiently close spacing, which provides a larger bond
length. Both beams having the FRP rods anchored in the
flange presented an inversion point in the load versus strain
curves, which indicated slip of the NSM rods. After onset of
slip, the anchorage in the flange was effective in preventing
bond failure and allowed the beam to carry additional load.
Once this failure mode was prevented, splitting of the con-
crete cover of the longitudinal steel reinforcement became
the controlling factor. All beams whose ultimate load was
equal to or greater than 80 kips failed by this mechanism,
which appears to be critical in beams strengthened for shear
with NSM FRP rods. This can be explained with the differ-
ence in configuration between internal stirrups and NSM re-
inforcement. Internal steel stirrups contribute to the shear
strength of an RC beam through three primary mechanisms
(ASCE-ACI Committee 426 1973):
• They carry part of the shear;
• They restrict the growth of the diagonal cracks and
thereby help maintain the interface shear transfer; and
• They hold the longitudinal bars and increase their dowel
capacity. If a stirrup happens to be near the bottom of a
major diagonal crack, it is very effective in maintaining
the dowel force and restraining the splitting failure,
Fig. 9—Load versus midspan deflection of beams without
steel stirrups.
(3)
SC
BF
BF
SP
BF
SP
SC
Fig. 10—Load versus midspan deflection of beams with
steel stirrups.
ACI Structural Journal/January-February 2001
 provided that the stirrups are of sufficient size, well-
anchored and spaced close enough.
In the case of NSM shear reinforcement, while the first
two mechanisms are still valid, the third one does not apply
for evident reasons. The dowel forces, not restrained by stir-
rups, give rise to tension stresses in the surrounding concrete
and these, in combination with the wedging action of the bar
deformations, produce splitting cracks along the longitudinal
reinforcement that eventually lead to failure of the beam.
PREDICTION OF EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Introduction
The experimental results obtained in the present study sug-
gest that, in RC beams strengthened in shear with NSM FRP
rods, one of the controlling failure mechanisms is related to
bond of the FRP shear reinforcement. Results of the shear
tests are consistent with those of the bond tests (De Lorenzis
2000) in that bond failure appears to be controlled by split-
ting of the epoxy paste cover. It should be noted, however,
that the obtained results are related to the materials used in
this experimental study. The use of FRP rods having differ-
ent properties, especially in terms of surface configuration,
as well as the use of epoxy paste having a different tensile
strength, may lead to different results. The other controlling
failure mechanism is splitting of the concrete cover as a re-
sult of splitting forces developed by the deformed steel rein-
forcement and of dowel action forces. This mechanism is
related to many different factors, among which are the con-
crete tensile strength, the thickness of the concrete cover, the
number and size of the longitudinal steel bars, and the pres-
ence of stirrups and their size and spacing.
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no experimental
data on RC beams strengthened in shear with NSM FRP
rods, other than that presented herein, is available to date.
Before a comprehensive model able to address all the signif-
icant variables is developed, an extensive experimental in-
vestigation needs to be carried out.
In the following, a simple model to compute the contribu-
tion of NSM FRP rods to the shear capacity of an RC beam
is presented. Of the two failure mechanisms previously de-
scribed, only the first one has been taken into account. On the
basis of the results obtained from the investigation on the be-
havior of bond of NSM FRP rods (De Lorenzis 2000), the
proposed approach is then applied to the tested beams. The
predicted values of the ultimate load are finally compared
with those obtained experimentally.
Contribution of NSM FRP rods to shear capacity
The nominal shear strength of beams externally strength-
ened with FRP can be computed by adding a third term to the
basic equation given by ACI 318-95 (1995), to account for
the contribution of the FRP reinforcement (Khalifa et al.
1998)
V n = Vc + Vs + VF R P (1)
The preliminary approach presented herein includes two
equations that may be used to obtain V FRP , and suggests tak-
ing the lower of the two results as the contribution of NSM
FRP rods to the shear capacity. This is also proposed as a
protocol to be followed when further experimental data will
be made available, thus allowing a better calibration.
ACI Structural Journal/January-February 2001
The first equation computes the FRP shear strength contri-
bution related to bond-controlled shear failure, indicated as
V1F . The second equation calculates the shear resisted by
NSM FRP rods when the maximum strain in the rods is equal
to 4000 µε, indicated as V2F . This limit is suggested to main-
tain the shear integrity of the concrete (Khalifa et al. 1998).
At higher levels of strain, the shear crack width would be
such that aggregate interlock would be lost and the shear ca-
pacity of the concrete compromised.
In these calculations, a reduced value has been used for the
height of the cross section containing shear reinforcement in
the form of NSM rods
dnet = d r – 2 ⋅ c (2)
where dr is the height of the shear-strengthened part of the
cross section and c is the concrete cover of the internal lon-
gitudinal reinforcement. In the case of vertical NSM rods, d r
coincides with the length of the FRP rods.
Calculation of V1F
V1F is the FRP shear strength contribution related to bond-
controlled shear failure. It is computed using the following
assumptions:
• Inclination angle of the shear cracks is constant and
equal to 45 degrees;
• There is even distribution of bond stresses along the
effective lengths of the FRP rods at ultimate; and
• The ultimate bond stress is reached in all the rods inter-
sected by the crack at ultimate.
The first assumption can be easily removed. The error it
may produce, however, is not significant if considered in the
context of approximation of this preliminary model.
The validity of the other assumptions is related to the bond
behavior of the NSM FRP rods and to the depth of the beam.
For the CFRP rods used in this study, the bond stress distri-
bution at ultimate was approximately constant even for the
longest of the examined bonded lengths (24 diameters, cor-
responding to 9 in. [229 mm]) (De Lorenzis 2000). On the
other hand, the depth of the tested beams is such that the
longest bonded length considered in the calculations was less
than 24 rod diameters.
The bond stress distribution for longer bonded lengths
can be analytically obtained once the local bond stress-slip
relationship is drawn. When other types of FRP rods are
used, the bond behavior can be substantially different and
the assumption of constant bond stresses at ultimate may be
inadequate. In this case, the value of the average bond
strength would depend on the bonded length and could be
computed from the local bond stress-slip relationship of the
given type of FRP rod.
The shear force resisted by the FRP may be computed as
the sum of the forces resisted by the FRP rods intersected by
a shear crack. Each rod intersected by a crack may be ideally
divided in two parts at the two sides of the crack. The force
in each of these rods at the crack location can be calculated
as the product of the average bond strength and the surface
area of the shortest part, that from now on will be referred to
as effective length of the rod. Therefore
V 1F = 2 ⋅ ∑ Ai fi = 2 ⋅ π ⋅ d b ⋅ τ b ⋅ Lt o t (3)
65
where Ai is the nominal cross-sectional area of the rods, fi the d net
tensile stress in the rod at the crack location, and summation --------- < s < dn e ;t if Li > d net – s ,
2
is extended to all the rods intersected by a 45 degree crack.
Ltot is the sum of the effective lengths of all the rods crossed
by the crack. Ltot has to be calculated in the most unfavorable bond failure occurs before the maximum strain reaches 4000
crack position, that is, the position in which it is minimum. µε, therefore, V 1F controls. If Li < d net – s, V2F controls with
Therefore the value

V 1 F = 2 ⋅ π ⋅ db ⋅ τ b ⋅ L t o t m i n (4) V 2F = 2 π db τ b L i (8)

The value of L tot min depends on d net, on the spacing s of d net d net
--------- < s < --------- ; V 1F controls if Li > s . If L i < s, V 2F
the rods, and on their inclination. It can be computed by us- 3 2
ing geometric considerations. As an example, for vertical
rods controls with the value

dnet
Ltot = d net – s if --------- < s < d net (5)
min
3 V 2F = 2 π db τ b ( L i + d net – 2s) (9)

dnet dnet if
Ltot min = 2 ⋅ dnet – 4 ⋅ s if --------- < s < --------- (6)
4 3
d net – 2s < Li < s
Calculation of V2F
V2F is the FRP shear strength contribution corresponding V 2F = 4 π db τ b L i if L i < dnet – 2s (10)
to a maximum FRP strain of 4000 µε. The effective length of
an FRP rod crossed by the crack corresponding to a strain of
4000 µε and to the average bond strength τb can be obtained
by equilibrium
d net d net
--------- < s < --------- ;V 1 F controls if L i > dn e t – 2s ,
d b ⋅ Eb 4 3
Li = 0.001 ---------------- (7)
τb
If L i < dnet – 2s, V2F controls with the value
To compute V 2F, the same assumptions made for V1F of
45-degree shear cracks and bond stress redistribution at ulti-
mate can be made. If strain in the longest effective length at V 2 F = 2 π d b τ b ( Li + d net – 2s) if (11)
the crack location reaches 4000 µε sooner than its average
bond stress reaches τb , that is, if one or more effective
s < L i < d n e t – 2s
lengths are longer than Li , at ultimate, these effective lengths
will carry a tensile load corresponding to 4000 µε strain
(which means, they will count as Li ), while tensile load in the V 2F = 2 π d b τ b ( 2L i + d net – 3s ) if (12)
other effective lengths will be the product of τb and their sur-
face area. The following results were obtained in the case of
vertical rods for three different spacing ranges. d net – 3s < Li < s

Table 3—Summary of experimental and theoretical results

Experimental Theoretical
Beam code Vc , kips V s, kips V FRP, kips Vn, kips V c , kips Vs , kips VFRP, kips Vn , kips
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
BV 20.3 — — 20.3 19.7 — — 19.7
B90-7 * — 5.6 25.9 19.7 — 2.4 22.1
20.3
B90-5 20.3 * — 8.4 28.7 19.7 — 7.1 26.8
B90-5A 20.3 * — 21.5 41.8 19.7 — 16.5 36.2
B45-7 20.3 * — 16.9 37.2 19.7 — 15.1 34.8
B45-5 20.3 * — 19.7 40.0 19.7 — 20.0 39.7
BSV 20.3 * 14.2 — 34.5 19.7 11.0 — 30.7
BS90-7A 20.3 * 14.2 † 12.0 46.5 19.7 11.0 11.8 42.5
* Shearcapacity of Beam BV.
†V of Beam BSV.
s
Note: 1 kip = 4.448 kN.
Note: Reduction factor 0.5 for Vc due to absence of steel shear reinforcement has not been applied.

66 ACI Structural Journal/January-February 2001


Fig. 11—Comparison of experimental and theoretical V FRP.
V 2F = 6 π db τ b L i if (13)
Li < d n e t – 3s
Comparison with experimental results
The value of τb was taken equal to 1 ksi (6.9 MPa), based
on results obtained from the bond tests (De Lorenzis 2000).
Calculated and experimental values of Vc, Vs, VFRP , and Vn
are reported in Table 3. V c has been computed using the up-
per limit indicated in Section 11.3.2.1 of the ACI 318 Code
(ACI 1995)
V c = 3.5 f c ′ ⋅ b w ⋅ d (14)
where f c ′ is the concrete compressive strength in psi, b w is the
web width in inches, and d is the distance from the extreme
compression fiber of the cross section to the centroid of the
longitudinal reinforcement, in inches. Equation (14) gives a
Vc closer to the experimental value, so that calculated and
experimental values of the shear strength can be compared
focusing on the FRP contribution.
The contribution of the steel shear reinforcement has been
computed according to Section 11.5.6.2 of the ACI 318 Code
A v f yd
V s = ------------- (15)
s
The calculated values of Vn show a good agreement with the
experimental shear capacity of the tested beams, the maximum
error being 14.7% and the average error being 8.1%. Further-
more, all the predictions are conservative.
The experimental values of VFRP are plotted versus the pre-
dicted values in Fig. 11. The solid line represents perfect agree-
ment between the two sets of values. It can be noted that,
except for one, all the plotted points fall on the left side of the
line, which indicates that the proposed approach leads to a con-
servative estimate of the FRP contribution to the shear
strength.
ACI Structural Journal/January-February 2001
CONCLUSIONS
From the experimental study herein presented, the following
conclusions can be drawn.
• The use of NSM FRP rods is an effective technique to
enhance the shear capacity of RC beams. In absence of
steel stirrups, an increase in capacity as high as 106% with
respect to the control beam could be obtained;
• Of the two beams with steel stirrups below the ACI
requirements, the strengthened one showed an increase in
capacity of 35% over the unstrengthened one. Therefore, it
appears that the contribution of the NSM rods can also be
significant in presence of internal shear reinforcement;
• One of the observed failure modes was debonding of one
or more FRP rods due to splitting of the epoxy cover. Test
results seem to indicate that this mechanism can be pre-
vented by providing a larger bond length with either
anchoring the NSM rods in the beam flange or using 45-
degree rods at a sufficiently close spacing;
• Once debonding of the rods is prevented, splitting of the
concrete cover of the longitudinal reinforcement may
become the controlling factor. This mechanism can be
explained with the difference in configuration between
internal stirrups and NSM reinforcement. Unlike internal
steel stirrups, NSM rods are not able to exert any restrain-
ing action on the longitudinal reinforcement subjected to
dowel forces. These forces, in conjunction with the wedg-
ing action of the deformed reinforcement, give rise to ten-
sile stresses in the surrounding concrete that may
eventually lead to cover delamination and loss of anchor-
age; and
• The proposed model predicted with reasonable accuracy
the shear capacity of the tested beams. Further research is
needed to incorporate in the formulae the influence of all
the significant variables.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to acknowledge the University of Missouri-Rolla
NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center on Repair of Building
and Bridges with Composites (RB 2C) for supporting this project.
NOTATION
Ai = nominal cross-sectional area of rod
bw = web width
c = cover of longitudinal steel reinforcement
d = distance from extreme compression fiber of cross section to cen-
troid of longitudinal reinforcement
db = nominal rod diameter
dnet = reduced length of FRP rods
dr = height of shear-strengthened part of cross section
Eb = elastic modulus of FRP rods
fc′ = compressive strength of concrete
fi = tensile stress in rod at crack location
Li = effective length of rod crossed by crack
Li = effective length of rod crossed by crack corresponding to tensile
strain of 4000 µε
L i max = maximum effective length of rod crossed by crack
L tot = sum of effective lengths of rods crossed by crack
L tot min = minimum value of L tot
s = spacing of NSM shear reinforcement
Vc = nominal shear strength provided by concrete, calculated by Eq.
(14)
VFRP = nominal shear strength provided by FRP shear reinforcement
Vn = nominal shear strength
Vs = nominal shear strength provided by steel shear reinforcement
V1F = nominal shear strength provided by FRP related to bond-con-
trolled shear failure
V2F = nominal shear strength provided by FRP related to maximum
strain in rods equal to 4000 µε
τb = average bond strength
τbred = average bond stress in longest effective length corresponding to
strain of 4000 µε
67
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ACI Structural Journal/January-February 2001