Experimental Investigation of FRP-Concrete Debonding under Cyclic Actions

Abstract

The effectiveness of externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates for strengthening existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures is strictly related to the bond of the FRP reinforcement to the concrete substrate. Although numerous experimental studies have investigated this bond, experimental data concerning cyclic tests on both FRP sheets and plates applied on concrete specimens are still lacking. Thus, a series of single shear tests (SSTs) under both monotonic and cyclic actions, without inversion of sign, were performed on concrete prismatic specimens reinforced with carbon FRP (CFRP) sheets or plates. To evaluate and compare the influence of cyclic external actions on the bonding behavior of sheets and plate reinforcements, the results provided by monotonic and cyclic tests are reported and discussed in this paper. In particular, force-displacement relationships, axial strains, and shear stresses recorded along the FRP reinforcement are reported; the influence of the load path on the FRP debonding behavior is also examined.