Experimental and Analytical Study on Torsional Behavior of RC Flanged Beam Strengthened With Glass Fiber Concrete

Abstract

Environmental degradation, increased service loads, reduced capacity due to aging, degradation owing to poor construction materials and workmanships and conditional need for seismic retrofitting have demanded the necessity for repair and rehabilitation of existing structures. Fibre reinforced polymers has been used successfully in many such applications for  reasons like low weight, high strength and durability. In the present work experimental study was conducted in order to have     a better understanding the behavior of torsional strengthening of solid RC flanged T-beams. An RC T-beam is analyzed and designed for torsion like an RC rectangular beam; the effect of concrete on flange is neglected by codes. In the present study effect of flange part in resisting torsion is studied by changing flange  width of controlled beams. The  other parameters    studied are strengthening configurations and fiber orientations. The aim of present work is to determine quantitatively the effectiveness of GFRP to be used as external lateral reinforcements to flanged T-beams subjected to torsion. Experimental results obtained from GFRP strengthen beams are compared with un-strengthen control beams. The study shows remarkable improvement in torsional behavior of  all the GFRP strengthen T-beams.  The experimentally obtained results are validated  with analytical model presented by A. Deifalla and A. Ghobarah and found in good    agreement.