Effective methods of using CFRP bars in shear strengthening of concrete girders

This paper presents the results of an experimental study that investigated the shear strength contribution of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) bars attached with concrete beams using a near surface mounted (NSM) technique. In this research, four concrete beams were cast with regular steel reinforcement in flexure. The control beam had typical shear steel and the other three beams were strengthened in shear with CFRP bars. Strain gauges were attached with the shear reinforcement of all four beams at various shear critical locations. Strains during loading to failure of the beams were recorded using a data acquisition system. The performance of the NSM technique was found to be very effective with no occurrence of delamination, debonding or fracture of FRP. Effective strains in the NSM CFRP bars were determined through analyzing the collected strain data. A new formula to calculate the nominal shear strength provided by NSM CFRP bars has also been proposed.