Experimental comparison of reinforced concrete beams strengthened against bending with different types of cementitious-matrix composite materials

Fabric-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) materials overcome some hazard limitations of organic resins and are becoming a competitive technology on retrofitting reinforced concrete structures. In this work, five types of FRCM applied as flexural reinforcements are compared. The results show that there is a correlation between the strengthening materials and the cracking patterns developed by the tested beams. Further, FRCM contributed to an increase the flexural capacity and flexural stiffness of the strengthened beams, but their ductility decreased. Finally, a new methodology to study the cracking process is presented.