SHEAR STRENGTHENING OF REINFORCED-CONCRETE BEAMS USING EXTERNALLY APPLIED COMPOSITE FABRICS

A series of twelve under-reinforced concrete T-beams was tested to stu dy the effectiveness of using externally applied composite fabrics as a method of increasing a beam's shear capacity. Woven composite fabric s made of aramid, E-glass, and graphite fibers were bonded to the web of the T-beams using a two-component epoxy. The three different fabric s were chosen to allow various fabric stiffnesses and strengths to be studied. The beams were tested in flexure, and the performance of eigh t beams with external shear reinforcement was compared to results of f our control beams with no external reinforcement. All the beams failed in shear and those with composite reinforcement displayed excellent b ond characteristics. For the beams with external reinforcement, increa ses in ultimate strength of 60 to 150 percent were achieved.