The efficiency of using CFRP as a strengthening technique for reinforced concrete beams subjected to blast loading

Abstract

Some structures may be subjected to blast loading while in service. This may cause damage or failure to the structural elements. This paper examines the performance of reinforced concrete beams using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) when subjected to blast loading. The experimental data including damage and deflection were collected from a previous investigation and numerical analysis was then performed using ABAQUS software. Furthermore, the single degree of freedom (SDOF) model was used to complement the findings from numerical analysis. Following the good correlation between the experimental and numerical data, further analysis was performed on reinforced concrete beams strengthened with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). Using CFRP was found to enhance the load capacity and energy absorption and to reduce the central deflection. In addition, Iso-Damage curves were produced for each beam, thus allowing the assessment of damage to be predicted.