Experimental Study on the Flexural Performance of Steel Beams Reinforced by AFRP Sheets

Abstract

Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) sheets have been widely used to retrofit and rehabilitate RC structures, while in case of retrofitting steel structures, there are no codes and researches. It stems from configuration of member and characteristics of bonding behavior. This study focused on the static behavior of steel beams reinforcement by AFRP sheets. The main objective of the experimental programme was the evaluation of the force transfer mechanism, the increment of the beam load carrying capacity and the bending stiffness. A bending test was conducted on a H-shaped steel beam, with aramid FRP sheets bonded to its flanges. The mid-span deflection and the strain from three points along AFRP sheets were recorded Test results exhibit that the increment of the load-carrying capacity with reference to a mid-span deflection level of 15 mm(1/125mm of the clear span) was equal to 9.4% and for the two layers case, an elastic stiffness increment is slightly higher than one layer case.