EMBEDMENT OF STEEL BARS FOR THE SHEAR STRENGTHENING OF CONCRETE ELEMENTS

GLUCIA DALFR * Supervisors: Joaquim Barros

* gmdalfre@civil.uminho.ptt

Institu for Sustainability and te Innovation in Structural Engineering

University of Minho School of Engineering ISISE, Departament of Civil Engineering

Introduction
An ongoing experimental program formed by continuous slab strips strengthened in flexure with NSM CFRP laminates is being carried out, and the obtained results show the possibility of increasing significantly the load carrying capacity of these elements, maintaining high levels of ductility. However, the occurrence of shear failure in the continuous slab strips limits the efficacy of the NSM technique. In general, the shear failure is followed by the detachment of the strengthened concrete cover layer (Figure 1).

Experimental Program
The experimental program is formed by two series, A and B, composed of beams with a cross section of 150x300 mm2 and 300x300mm2, respectively, with a total length of 2450 mm and the shear strengthening/reinforcement configurations represented in Figure 3. Beams designation Shear strengthening arrangements
F
300 300

Results of the experimental program

The applied loads versus deflection curves of the tested RC beams are presented in Figure 4. It can be noted that the use of embedded steel bars allowed significant increment of the shear resistance of reinforced concrete beams, regardless of the orientation of the bar. The effectiveness is not only in terms of the beam load carrying capacity, but also in terms of the ductility of the beams.
270 240 210
Load, F (kN)

Shear span strengthening/ reinforcement

450

S-300-90 /ETS-300-45 S-225-90 /ETS-225-90 ETS-300-45 S-225-90

o o o o

400 350

S-300-90 /ETS-300-45 S-225-90 /ETS-225-90

3558
c

Load, F (kN)

Reference

180 150 120 90 60

300 250 200 150 100 50

S-300-90 /ETS-300-90

150

300

300

300

300

F
300 300

S-300-90 /ETS-300-90 S-300-90 Ref.

0 5 10
o

S-300-90

150

300

30 0

Reference Sirrups_300 o Stirrups_225 ETS-300-45 o ETS-300-90 No stirrups_ETS_300_90 o S-300-90 No stirrups_ETS_300_45 o S-225-90 Stirrups_300_ETS_300_90 Stirrups_300_ETS_300_45 Ref. Stirrups_225_ETS_225_90

ETS-300-90
15

A Series
25 30 35

Figure 1: Slab strip failure mode In the case of beams, NSM CFRP laminates can be applied into slits opened on the concrete cover of the lateral faces of the element. However, in case of slabs, the NSM shear strengthening has no applicability, and a strengthening strategy that avoids the occurrence of shear failure and provides extra resistance to the detachment of the NSM laminates is proposed in this work. According to the proposed strengthening strategy (Figure 2), holes are opened across the slab/beam thickness, with the desired inclinations, and bars are introduced into these holes and bonded to the concrete substrate with adhesive materials. To assess the effectiveness of this technique, a comprehensive experimental program was carried and the obtained results confirm the feasibility of the strengthening system.
Existing steel bars
S

225

225

225

225

F
300 300

20

B Series
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Displacement (mm)
300

Displacement (mm)

S-225-90

150

150

300

300

150

F
300 300

ETS-300-90

150

300

300

300

300

F
300 300

ETS-300-45

150

300

150

300

300

150

F
300 300

CFRP bars bonded with an adhesive

S-300-90/ ETS-300-90

Figure 4: Relationship between the applied load versus the loaded section deflection The analysis of the results prompts the following remarks: (i) The ETS shear strengthening technique can convert a brittle shear failure in a ductile flexural failure. (ii) The maximum load and the deflection capacity of the beams reinforced with conventional stirrups were similar to the values registered on beams strengthened with ETS bars. Thus, it was verified the feasibility of using the ETS bars to correct construction/design deficiencies, strengthening or rehabilitation of structures that become unsafe due to changes in loading, use, configuration or seismic actions. (iii) The ETS shear strengthening elements have higher protection against fire and vandalism acts than FRP systems applied according to the Externally Bonded Reinforcing or Near Surface Mounted techniques.

150

300

Conclusions
According to the results it was verified the feasibility of using the proposed shear strengthening technique, since shear brittle failure mode can be avoided, resulting significant increases in load carrying and deformational capacities of the strengthened elements. Furthermore, appreciable levels of residual strength after the peak load were obtained.

Existing steel bars

S

300

300

300

F
300 300
150

Adhesive
S-S

S-300-90/ ETS-300-45

300

Potencial shear crack

S-225-90/ ETS-225-90

112,5

225

225

225

F
300 300

Acknowledgments
150 300

CFRP bar

Figure 2: Shear Strengthening concept

Figure 3: Shear strengthening configurations

The first author would like to acknowledge the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) Brazil for financial support for scholarship (GDE 200953/2007-9). The research is part of PTDC/ECM/73099/2006 project supported by FCT.

Uma Escola a Reinventar o Futuro Semana da Escola de Engenharia 24 a 27 de Outubro de 2011