Prediction of Bonding Strength of Externally Bonded SRP Composites Using Artificial Neural Networks

Abstract

External bonding of fiber reinforced composites is currently the most popular method of strengthening building structures. Debonding performance is critical to the effectiveness of such strengthening. Many models of bond prediction can be found in the literature. Most of them were developed based on laboratory research, therefore, their accuracy with less popular strengthening systems is limited. This manuscript presents the possibility of using a model based on neural networks to analyze and predict the debonding strength of steel-reinforced polymer (SRP) and steel-reinforced grout (SRG) composites to concrete. The model is built on the basis of laboratory testing of 328 samples obtained from the literature. The results are compared with a dozen of the most popular analytical methods for predicting the load capacity. The prediction accuracy in the neural network model is by far the best. The total correlation coefficient reaches a value of 0.913 while, for the best analytical method (Swiss standard SIA 166 model), it is 0.756. The sensitivity analysis confirmed the importance of the modulus of elasticity and the concrete strength for debonding. It is also interesting that the width of the element proved to be very important, which is probably related to the low variability of this parameter in the laboratory tests.

Predicting NSMR–concrete bond strength using artificial neural networks: A comparative‐analysis study

“…Jia and Davalos 43 used neural networks to study the fatigue of bonded FRP–wood interfaces and predict the crack growth rate. Kekez and Krzywon 44 proposed a neural network‐based model to predict the debonding strength of steel‐reinforced polymer (SRP) or steel‐reinforced grout (SRG) composites to concrete substrate. Haddad and Haddad 45 constructed an ANN model to investigate the effect of concrete compressive strength, maximum aggregate size, FRP thickness, modulus of elasticity, FRP‐to‐concrete length and width ratios, and adhesive tensile strength on the bond strength of externally bonded FRP strips to concrete.…”