Strengthening of existing structures with Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) is a method that has been more common in the building sector during the last decades. The materials strength in relation to its weight is a huge advantage but the lack of knowledge in the building sector results that professionals uses more proven materials such as steel to strength structures. In this report five minor projects in which steel was the strengthening material has been analysed to see if CFRP could be a competitive strengthening material considering mainly practical and economical aspects. The main purpose of this report was to evaluate when CFRP is the most suitable option for strengthening of concrete structures. The results showed that CFRP was applicable in every project but the total cost were higher comparing to the steel solution in four out of five projects. The results indicate that it is difficult to motivate CFRP regarding the economical aspect in relation to minor project that were evaluated in this report. Nevertheless, the tendency is that the advantages with CFRP is more useful when there are more comprehensive projects such as advanced steel works and when it is necessary to save room volumes.

Different strategies can be used to repair, rehabilitate and strengthen existing structures. Techniques based on Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) materials appear to be innovative alternatives to traditional solutions because of their high tensile strength, light, weight, and ease of installation. One of the most common and useful FRPs is Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) used in sheets and anchors attached on the concrete surface to strengthen the section through addition of tensile capacity. The purpose of this study was develop a technique for assesses the strength of anchors for quality control purpose. However, to transfer tensile capacity to a concrete surface, the sheets are bonded to the surface with epoxy adhesive. As tension increase, CFRP sheets lose adherence of the epoxy from the concrete surface and finally debond. To avoid this failure, CFRP anchors are applied in addition at the epoxy. The CFRP anchors allow the CFRP sheets to utilize their full tensile capacity and maximize the material efficiency of the CFRP retrofit. The number and size of anchors play a critical role. However the capacity of CFRP anchors has not been investigated extendedly. A methodology for assessing the quality of CFRP anchors was developed using plain concrete beams and reinforced externally with CFRP sheets attached with epoxy and CFRP anchors. Applying load to the beam, allowed the development a tensile force in the CFRP sheets and a shear force on the CFRP anchors. The shear forces in the CFRP anchors were defined by the load applied to the beam and compared with forces based on measured stress in CFRP sheets. / text

O uso de Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) como reforço em estruturas de concreto armado tem evoluído com o avanço das técnicas e com a melhora das fibras, principalmente com um novo método: o Near Surface Mounted (NSM), em que os laminados de fibra são inseridos no cobrimento do concreto. Uma análise da eficiência dos sistemas de reforço ao cisalhamento em vigas de concreto armado foi realizada por meio de ensaios experimentais. As vigas foram reforçadas nas configurações íntegra e com carregamento prévio de 40% e 70% da força máxima. O programa experimental compreende ensaios de flexão em prismas e vigas de concreto armado além de ensaios não destrutivos de análise de vibrações para a determinação das frequências naturais e dos modos de vibração. A análise modal foi realizada com uso de um método de identificação modal estocástica, em que na sua formulação não é usada força de excitação. Nestas, foram analisadas as variações nas frequências naturais e dos modos de vibração, utilizando MAC, COMAC, DCM e ID. Como resultados, todas as vigas com sistemas de reforço obtiveram acréscimos na capacidade de carga, alterando suas formas de ruptura de cisalhamento para destacamento da camada de concreto adjacente aos laminados de CFRP e para ruptura por esmagamento do concreto à flexão, independente da ocorrência de carregamento prévio. Na análise modal foi possível identificar a presença e local do dano nas vigas na maioria dos métodos utilizados, mas a identificação do sistema de reforço não foi significativa. / The use of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) in concrete structures has enhanced with the advancement of techniques and the improvement of fiber, especially with the usage of the new method: the Near Surface Mounted (NSM) when the fiber laminates are inserted to cover thickness the concrete. An analysis of the efficiency of these shear reinforcements in reinforced concrete beams was performed by destructive and non-destructive experimental tests. The beams were reinforced intact and preloading of 40% and 70% of maximum load. The experimental program includes flexural tests on reinforced concrete beams as well as non-destructive testing to determine the natural frequencies and vibration modes. The modal analysis was done use of method stochastic modal identification, which in its formulation is not used excitation force. The variations were analyzed in the natural frequencies and vibration modes, using MAC, COMAC, DCM and ID. In the results are obtained increase in load capacity in all beams with reinforcement systems, regardless of the occurrence of preloading, changed the form of shear break for rupture due detachment off cover concrete adjacent to the laminate and crushing of concrete in flexion. In modal analysis, it was possible to identify the presence and local damage in the beams on most of methods used, but the identification of reinforcements systems was not significant.

A reconstrução tridimensional de superfícies de fratura de materiais compósitos do tipo CFRP é apresentada neste trabalho como um método possível para análise fractográfica desse material, cuja superfície de fratura pode apresentar uma rugosidade acentuada, com grande variação em altura. Dois métodos são apresentados para esse propósito: a reconstrução por foco variável, realizada com imagens de microscopia óptica e a reconstrução por paralaxe, realizada com par de imagens estéreo, obtidas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Uma avaliação é realizada para cada um dos dois métodos, discutindo seus limites e a eficiência de cada um deles, perante as dificuldades de análise de materiais compósitos unidirecionais e multidirecionais. O método de foco variável apresentou um excelente resultado de reconstrução, mas tem a necessidade de um número grande de imagens, tempo de dedicação do instrumento e limite de ampliação das imagens como fatores a serem considerados na escolha de melhor método. As inclinações da amostra, durante o método da paralaxe, revelam alterações nos histogramas das imagens adquiridas no sentido horário que limitam o uso do método para materiais com alta rugosidade. A obtenção de imagens em um único sentido e a construção de uma região de interesse, posicionada no centro da imagem são sugestões para tornar o método mais abrangente. A linearidade das projeções de características na imagem inclinada também sugere a possibilidade de realizar a reconstrução utilizando, em vez de apenas duas, múltiplas imagens obtidas no sentido anti-horário. As alterações propostas para modificar a rotina, são sugeridas para que o programa possa ser aplicado de forma mais abrangente, independente da qualidade da superfície de fratura observada. / The three-dimensional reconstruction of fracture surfaces of CFRP type composite materials is presented in this work as a possible method for the fractographic analysis of this material, whose rupture surface can present an accentuated roughness, with great variation in height. Two methods are presented for this purpose: the reconstruction for variable focus, carried through with images of optic microscopy and the reconstruction for parallax, carried through with pair of stereo images, obtained by means of scanning electronic microscopy. An evaluation is carried through for each one of the two methods, having argued its limits and the efficiency of each one of them, before the difficulties of analysis of unidirectional and multidirectional composite materials. The method of variable focus presented an excellent reconstruction result, but it has the need of a great number of images, spent time of the instrument and magnifying limit of the images as factors to be considered in the choice of better method. The tilting of the specimen, during the parallax method, discloses alterations in the histograms of the images acquired in the clockwise direction that limit the use of the method for materials with high roughness. The acquiring of images in only one direction and the construction of a region of interest, located in the center of the image are suggestions to turn the method most including. The linearity of the projections of features in the inclined image also suggests the possibility to carry through the reconstruction using, instead of only two, multiple images gotten in the counter-clockwise direction. The alterations proposals to modify the routine, are suggested so that the program can be applied in a more comprehensive form, independent of the quality of the observed fracture surface.

A texturização por microusinagem a laser é uma importante alternativa para que se consiga melhorar a ligação de aderência entre materiais compósitos e o titânio, aplicados em componentes estruturais na indústria aeronáutica. A execução de texturização em chapas de titânio deve-se ao fato de que a técnica de junção preferida para muitos materiais compósitos é a ligação adesiva. Neste trabalho foram realizadas texturizações em chapas de titânio utilizando laser com pulsos ultracurtos de largura temporal da ordem de femtossegundos. Tal processo resultou em mínima transferência de calor para o material, evitando assim deformação superficial da chapa de titânio bem como a formação de material ressolidificado na região ablacionada. Estes inconvenientes ocorreram na utilização do laser chaveado com pulsos de nanossegundos. Foram executadas três tipos de texturizações utilizando laser com pulsos de femtossegundos, com variações nas distâncias entre as linhas usinadas. Pela análise das superfícies obtidas, detectou-se que a molhabilidade aumenta quando há o aumento da distância entre as linhas da texturização. Avançando nas análises, pela perfilometria óptica das superfícies texturizadas observou-se que há sensível aumento do volume disponível para penetração do adesivo estrutural quando são diminuídas as distâncias entre as linhas texturizadas. Nos ensaios de tração realizados observou-se que há o aumento da resistência ao cisalhamento da junta adesiva com a diminuição da distância entre as linhas texturizadas. / The texturing laser micromachining is an important alternative to improve the bonding adhesion between composites and titanium, which are applied to structural components in the aerospace industry. The texturing running on titanium plates is due to the fact that the preferred joining technique for many composite materials is the adhesive bonding. In this work, titanium plates were texturized using laser ultrashort pulses temporal widths of femtoseconds. This process resulted in minimal heat transfer to the material, avoiding deformation of the titanium plate surface as well as the formation of resolidified material in the ablated region. These drawbacks have occurred with the use of nanoseconds pulses. Were performed three types of texturing using laser with femtosecond pulses, with variations in the distances between the machined lines. The analysis of the obtained surfaces found that the wettability increases when there is the increased distance between the texturing lines. Advancing in the analysis by optical profilometry of textured surfaces was observed that there is substantial increase in the volume available for penetration of structural adhesive when the distances between the textured lines are diminished. In tensile tests conducted it was observed that there is an increase in shear strength of the adhesive joint by reducing the distance between the textured lines.

A texturização por microusinagem a laser é uma importante alternativa para que se consiga melhorar a ligação de aderência entre materiais compósitos e o titânio, aplicados em componentes estruturais na indústria aeronáutica. A execução de texturização em chapas de titânio deve-se ao fato de que a técnica de junção preferida para muitos materiais compósitos é a ligação adesiva. Neste trabalho foram realizadas texturizações em chapas de titânio utilizando laser com pulsos ultracurtos de largura temporal da ordem de femtossegundos. Tal processo resultou em mínima transferência de calor para o material, evitando assim deformação superficial da chapa de titânio bem como a formação de material ressolidificado na região ablacionada. Estes inconvenientes ocorreram na utilização do laser chaveado com pulsos de nanossegundos. Foram executadas três tipos de texturizações utilizando laser com pulsos de femtossegundos, com variações nas distâncias entre as linhas usinadas. Pela análise das superfícies obtidas, detectou-se que a molhabilidade aumenta quando há o aumento da distância entre as linhas da texturização. Avançando nas análises, pela perfilometria óptica das superfícies texturizadas observou-se que há sensível aumento do volume disponível para penetração do adesivo estrutural quando são diminuídas as distâncias entre as linhas texturizadas. Nos ensaios de tração realizados observou-se que há o aumento da resistência ao cisalhamento da junta adesiva com a diminuição da distância entre as linhas texturizadas. / The texturing laser micromachining is an important alternative to improve the bonding adhesion between composites and titanium, which are applied to structural components in the aerospace industry. The texturing running on titanium plates is due to the fact that the preferred joining technique for many composite materials is the adhesive bonding. In this work, titanium plates were texturized using laser ultrashort pulses temporal widths of femtoseconds. This process resulted in minimal heat transfer to the material, avoiding deformation of the titanium plate surface as well as the formation of resolidified material in the ablated region. These drawbacks have occurred with the use of nanoseconds pulses. Were performed three types of texturing using laser with femtosecond pulses, with variations in the distances between the machined lines. The analysis of the obtained surfaces found that the wettability increases when there is the increased distance between the texturing lines. Advancing in the analysis by optical profilometry of textured surfaces was observed that there is substantial increase in the volume available for penetration of structural adhesive when the distances between the textured lines are diminished. In tensile tests conducted it was observed that there is an increase in shear strength of the adhesive joint by reducing the distance between the textured lines.

Using innovative materials or devices in techniques for strengthening or repair of RC concrete members may provide interesting alternatives for structural engineers. Laboratory tests were conducted on full scale reinforced concrete columns and a masonry wall that suffered severe damage. Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer - CFRP sheets and anchors were used to improve shear capacity or ductility elements. CFRP jacket were installed on column hinge regions while diagonal ties (tension braces) were used on the masonry wall. Mechanical splices were used in columns where concrete crushed and bars buckled by replacing the buckled bars and providing continuity to the longitudinal reinforcement. It was found that performance of the retrofitted members was comparable to that using conventional techniques and the performance was generally better than certain “fast” retrofit procedures reported in the literature. The choice of technique depends on the degree of damage, the cost of replacement, and performance required. Having the results of cyclic load tests of rehabilitated concrete members, envelope or backbone curves were obtained following the ASCE41-07 and proposed ASCE41-13 procedures. The backbone curves were used to develop behavioral models that can be used in the analysis and design of those types of concrete members and retrofit procedures. The inclusion of the behavioral models into current Performance Based Seismic Design procedures for strengthening of existing or repaired damaged buildings is proposed. / text

Four specimens were tested to evaluate the shear performance of beams with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates and CFRP anchors under fatigue and sustained loading applications. The specimens consisted of 24-in. deep T-beams that were constructed and tested at Phil M. Ferguson Structural Engineering Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin. The specimens were strengthened in shear with CFRP laminates anchored with CFRP anchors. One end of each specimen was strengthened using bonded CFRP laminates while the other end was strengthened using unbonded CFRP laminates. Two specimens were used for fatigue testing and two were used for sustained load testing. For each set of tests, one specimen was strengthened using CFRP laminates prior to cracking and one specimen was strengthened using CFRP laminates following the initial cracking of the specimen. The CFRP laminates showed no signs of deteriorations in strength during fatigue testing, with only small increases in strain occurring in the CFRP laminates during testing. After fatigue loading was completed, the specimens were monotonically loaded to failure. The failure loads were 5 to 15% lower than beams that were not subjected to fatigue loading. Sustained load tests were subjected to a constant midpoint load based on service load requirements for a period of 217 days. CFRP laminates performed well during sustained loading. CFRP strains increased slightly throughout testing, but no signs of deterioration were observed. For both types of tests, specimens strengthened using bonded CFRP laminates demonstrated an increased stiffness resulting in smaller crack widths and lower strains in the internal steel. These benefits were not as great in specimens strengthened after the initial cracking of the specimen. / text

L’un des défis de la simulation numérique de la résistance au crash des structures composites est de pouvoir prédire les endommagements, leur évolution au cours de l’écrasement et l'énergie absorbée, à partir d'un nombre limité de propriétés matériau. Le but de cette étude est d'améliorer la compréhension des mécanismes élémentaires impliqués dans l'écrasement de stratifiés de plis unidirectionnels à base de fibres de carbone et de développer un modèle numérique. Des essais sont réalisés à différentes échelles (macro, micro), et conduisent à la définition d'une nouvelle propriété matériau, essentielle : la contrainte moyenne d'écrasement que peuvent soutenir les plis à 0° ou 90°, et la méthode de caractérisation associée. L’analyse des tests montre également que pour représenter correctement le comportement du matériau pendant le crash (évasement, fragmentation...), il est nécessaire de choisir un modèle à l’échelle méso. Le modèle éléments finis développé repose sur cinq idées principales : 1-mailler chaque pli; 2-utiliser des éléments cohésifs pour représenter le délaminage et l’évasement des plis; 3-pouvoir représenter la rupture des plis en gros fragments; 4-représenter l'écrasement localisé des plis, à leurs extrémités, par l'introduction d'un concept de « free-face-crushing », associé à un critère spécifique basé sur la contrainte moyenne d'écrasement; 5-représenter les contacts entre plis, plis etsocle, plis et débris. Ce modèle phénoménologique est ensuite appliqué à la simulation du crash de plaques stratifiées. A partir des propriétés matérielles élémentaires du pli, il permet de prédire la force, les principaux mécanismes de rupture et la phénoménologie observée lors des expériences. / A challenge in numerical simulation of crashworthiness is to be able to predict the crush damage modes, their evolution during crushing and the energy absorbed in any composite structure from a limited number of material properties. The aim of this study is to improve the understanding of the elementary mechanisms involved in the crushing of CFRP laminates made of unidirectional plies and to develop a numerical model. Crushing tests are performed at different scales (macro, micro), and lead to the definition of a new essential material property: the mean crushing stress that a 0° or 90° ply can support, and its associated characterization method. Tests analyses also show that to correctly represent the material behavior during crushing (splaying, fragmentation…) it is necessary to choose a mesoscale model. The Finite Element model developed in this thesis is based on five main ideas: 1-Meshing of each ply of the laminate; 2-Use of cohesive elements to represent delamination and plies splaying; 3-Possibility to represent failure of pliesinto big-sized fragments; 4-Representation of the localized crushing of plies, at their extremities, with the introduction of a free-face-crushing concept associated to a specific criterion based on the mean crushing stress; 5-Representation ofcontacts between plies, plies and impacted base, plies and debris.This physically based model is then applied to the simulation of the crushing of laminated plates. From elementary material properties of the ply, it allows to predict the force, the main failure mechanisms and the phenomenology observedduring crushing experiments.

L'assemblage de pièces de structures composites, notamment en carbone/époxy, est souvent réalisé par liaison boulonnée. Ceci nécessite le perçage des logements de fixations. Cette opération de perçage doit répondre à des contraintes de fiabilité, de productivité et de qualité d'usinage. L'opération de perçage doit donc être maitrisée, ce qui passe par une meilleure compréhension des phénomènes présents en perçage. Mais l'étude de ces phénomènes se heurte à des obstacles tels que l'aspect confiné de l'opération, la géométrie complexe et variable du foret, la variation de vitesse le long de l'arête principale de coupe... Afin de s'affranchir de ces obstacles, des essais élémentaires représentatifs de la coupe en perçage peuvent être proposés. Ce travail de thèse s'inscrit dans cette optique. Ce travail s'articule autour de trois axes. Le premier concerne une étude de la représentativité des différents essais élémentaires vis-à-vis du perçage. Un outil d'identification de géométrie d'outil est proposé ; il permet d'identifier l'évolution de la géométrie locale des outils coupants et ainsi de proposer des essais élémentaires qui soient géométriquement et cinématiquement représentatifs de la coupe en perçage. Le second axe développé propose une étude des phénomènes présents en coupe orthogonale quasi-statique. Cela permet de s'affranchir des effets liés à la vitesse. Dans ce cadre, des essais de corrélation d'images en coupe orthogonale sont proposés. Ils permettent l'analyse des champs de déplacements et de déformations. Une analyse des efforts générés, de la morphologie des copeaux et des états de surfaces obtenus en fonction de l'angle de coupe et de l'angle ?2 entre la vitesse de coupe et la direction des fibres est également réalisée. Deux types de modèles numériques, macro- mécanique et micro-mécanique, sont proposés. Ils sont confrontés aux résultats expérimentaux. Le dernier axe de travail présente l'analyse des phénomènes liés à la vitesse de coupe en coupe orthogonale. Le modèle macro-mécanique est modifié afin d'intégrer des phénomènes tels que la variation des contraintes à rupture de la matrice en fonction de la vitesse de déformation, ou encore l'évolution du frottement en fonction de la vitesse de glissement. Les résultats du modèle sont confrontés aux résultats expérimentaux. / In aeronautical sector, assembly of CFRP composite structures requires the drilling of the fastener holes. Requirements of reliability, productivity and machining quality are imposed on the drilling process. The operation must be mastered, which requires a better understanding of the phenomena occurring during drilling. But the study of these phenomena faces several major challenges such as the confined aspect of the operation, the complex and variable geometry of the cutting tool, the speed variation along the main cutting edge... To overcome these obstacles, elementary testing representative of the drilling cutting phenomena could be implemented. This is the purpose of this work, which is based on three axes. The first is a study of the geometrical and kinematic representativeness of the elementary tests regarding the drilling operation. A tool geometry identification program is developed. It identifies the evolution of the local geometry of cutting tools along the main cutting edges and allows defining the elementary tests that are geometrically and kinematically representative of the drilling cutting. The second axis developed proposes a study of the phenomena occuring in quasi-static orthogonal cutting. Thus, the effects relative to the cutting speed are not considered. In this context, digital image correlation tests during orthogonal cutting are conducted. They lead to the analysis of the displacements and strains fields. Generated forces, chip morphology and machined surface texture are also investigated, in relation to the rake angle and the angle ?2 between the cutting speed and the direction of fibres. For this configuration, two types of numerical models, a macro-mechanical and a micro-mechanical one, are developed. A comparison is made in relation to experimental results. The last axis of this work concern the analysis of phenomena related to the cutting speed during orthogonal cutting. The macro-mechanical model is modified to include such phenomena as the variation of the matrix breaking stress as a function of strain rate, or the evolution of the friction coefficient according to the sliding velocity. The model results are compared to experimental results.