Flexural performance of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with strain-hardening cementitious composite and high strength reinforcing steel bar

The cracking and strength improvement in beams are one of main issues in the area of architecture and civil engineering. This paper presents the experimental and numerically predictive studies on the flexural performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with a strain-hardening cementitious composite (SHCC) and high strength reinforcing steel bar (HSRS bar) as a new strengthening method for beams. In order to investigate the effects of SHCC and HSRS bar on the control of cracking and load bearing capacity, four types of beam specimens were manufactured and a series of flexural bending tests were performed. The test results showed that the crack width can be controlled by applying SHCC and the load-bearing capacity of beams improved by applying the SHCC and HSRS bar.