Strengthening reinforced concrete beams using prestressed glass fiber-reinforced polymer-Part I: Experimental study

This work is aimed at studying the strengthening of reinforced concrete (R. C.) beams using prestressed glass fi- ber-reinforced polymer (PGFRP). Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) has recently become popular for use as repair or rehabilitation material for deteriorated R. C. structures, but because CFRP material is very stiff, the difference in CFRP sheet and concrete material properties is not favorable for transferring the prestress from CFRP sheets to R. C. members. Glass fi- ber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) sheets with Modulus of Elasticity quite close to that of concrete was chosen in this study. The load-carrying capacities (ultimate loads) and the deflections of strengthened R. C. beams using GFRP and PGFRP sheets were tested and compared. T- and ⊥-shaped beams were used as the under-strengthened and over-strengthened beams. The GFRP sheets were prestressed to one-half their tensile capacities before being bonded to the T- and ⊥-shaped R. C. beams. The prestressed tension in the PGFRP sheets caused cambers in the R. C. beams without cracks on the tensile faces. The PGFRP sheets also enhanced the load-carrying capacity. The test results indicated that T-shaped beams with GFRP sheets increased in load-carrying capacity by 55% while the same beams with PGFRP sheets could increase load-carrying capacity by 100%. The ⊥-shaped beams with GFRP sheets could increase load-carrying capacity by 97% while the same beams with PGFRP sheets could increase the loading-carrying capacity by 117%. Under the same external loads, beams with GFRP sheets underwent larger deflections than beams with PGFRP sheets. While GFRP sheets strengthen R. C. beams, PGFRP sheets decrease the beams’ ductility, especially for the over-strengthened beams (⊥-shaped beams).

Seismic Analysis for Rigid-Framed Prestressed Reinforced Concrete Bridge in Tianjin Light Railway

The seismic analysis of a rigid-framed prestressed concrete bridge in Tianjin Light Railway is performed. A 3-D dynamic finite element model of the bridge is established considering the weakening effect caused by the soft soil foundation. After the dynamic characteristics are calculated in terms of natural frequencies and modes, the seismic analysis is carried out using the modal response spectrum method and the time-history method, respectively. Based on the calculated results, the reasonable design values are finally suggested as the basis of the seismic design of the bridge, and meanwhile the problems encountered were also analyzed. Finally, some conclusions are drawn as: 1) Despite the superiority of rigid-framed prestressed concrete bridge, the upper and lower ends of the piers of the bridge are proved to be the crucial parts of the bridge, which are easily destroyed under designed earthquake excitations and should be carefully analyzed and designed; 2) The soft soil foundation can possibly result in rather weakening of the lateral rigidity of the rigid-framed bridge, and should be paid considerable attention; 3) The modal response spectrum method, combined with time-history method, is suggested for the seismic analysis in engineering design of the rigid-framed prestressed concrete bridge.

Ultimate stress increase in unbonded tendons in prestressed concrete beams

Since the assumption of plane sections cannot be applied to the strain of unbonded tendons in prestressed concrete beams subjected to loadings,a moment-curvature nonlinear analysis method is used to develop analytical programs from stress increases in unbonded tendons at the ultimate limit state.Based on the results of model testing and simulation analysis,equations are proposed to predict the stress increase in tendons at the ultimate state in simple or continuous beams of partially prestressed concrete,considering the loading type,non-prestressed reinforcement index βp,prestressing reinforcement index βs,and span-depth ratio L/h as the basic parameters.Results of 380 beams studied here and test results for 35 simple beams obtained by the China Academy of Building Research were compared with those from prediction equations given in codes and other previous studies.The comparison reveals that the values predicted by the proposed equations agree well with experimental results.

FATIGUE LIFE PREDICTION OF RC BEAMS STRENGTHENED WITH PRESTRESSED CFRP UNDER CYCLIC BENDING LOADS

The application of prestressed carbon reinforced polymer （prestressed CFRP） in reinforced concrete （RC） members can improve the mechanical properties of strengthened structures and strengthening efficiency. This paper proposed a semi-empirical prediction fornmla of fatigue lives of the RC beams strengthened with prestressed CFRP under bending loads. The formula is established based on the fatigue life prediction method of RC beams and fatigue experimental data of non-prestressed CFRP reinforced beams done before. Fatigue effect coefficient of the formula was confirmed by the fatigue experiments of the RC beams strengthened with prestressed carbon fiber laminate （prestressed CFL） under cyclic bending loads. Fatigue lives of the strengthened beams predicted using the formula agreed well with the experimental data.