Long-Term Deflection and Cracking Behavior of Concrete Beams Prestressed with Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Tendons

Abstract

This paper discusses the experimental result on the long-term deflection and cracking behavior of concrete beams prestressed with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) tendons, under sustained long-term service load, including cracked and uncracked sections. Six full-scale beams were cast and tested. The experimental parameters included the level of prestress, the level of sustained service loading, and concrete strengths. The experimental results showed that the performance of concrete beams prestressed with CFRP tendons meets the serviceability criteria in terms of deflection and cracking. The test results also showed that the long-term performance of concrete beams prestressed with CFRP tendons was comparable to those prestressed with steel tendons. Furthermore, the test results showed that with the increase of concrete strength, the serviceability performance also improved with concrete beams prestressed with CFRP tendons.