Behavior of RC Beams Strengthened with Near-Surface Mounted Aluminum Alloy Bars under Fully Reversible Cyclic Loads

Abstract

In this study, an experimental program was conducted to explore the feasibility of using aluminum alloy (AA) bars in the flexural strengthening of reinforced-concrete (RC) beams that are subjected to fully reversible cyclic loads. A total of seven RC beam specimens including one control beam and six RC beams strengthened with near-surface mounted (NSM) 7075 AA bars were fabricated and tested under incrementally increasing reversed cyclic loading. The effects of the NSM reinforcement ratio, anchorage system, groove filling material, and surface treatment of the AA bar on the performance of the strengthened beams were studied. The results were analyzed in terms of failure mechanisms, crack propagation, hysteresis response, skeleton curves, degradation in stiffness and load-carrying capacity, and the energy dissipation capacity of tested beams. It was revealed that application of the NSM AA strengthening technique can enhance the flexural response of RC beams by increasing the strength and energy dissipation capacity and decreasing the stiffness degradation.