Numerical analysis of reinforced concrete beams strengthened by cement based high strength composite material

Resumo

The use of composite materials based on polymeric resins and fiber as strengthening in concrete structures has been widely used. The use of carbon fiber reinforced polymers or other synthetic fibers is consolidated by its excellent characteristics, such as high strength, low weight, corrosion resistance, etc. This material in the form of sheets or laminates is bonded to the concrete substrate with epoxy-based adhesives. Although epoxy has proven to have excellent bonding and resistance performance, it has some disadvantages, such as low permeability, poor thermal compatibility with the base concrete, poor fire resistance, etc. Cement-based composite systems consisting of FRPs and a cementitious bonding agent can be used to prevent some of these problems. This study presents the numerical analysis, using a non-linear finite element model, of the structural behavior of reinforced concrete beams externally reinforced with a composite material made of high-strength synthetic fiber mesh and cementitious mortar. The numerical results were compared with experimental results reported in international journals, demonstrating the efficiency of the strengthening technique and the numerical model capacity.