The non-corrodible nature of FRP bars along with their high strength, light weight and ease of installation made it attractive as reinforcement especially for structures exposed to aggressive environment. In addition, the transparency of FRP bars to magnetic and electrical fields makes them an ideal alternative to traditional steel reinforcement in applications sensitive to electromagnetic fields such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) units. Continuous concrete beams are commonly-used elements in structures such as parking garages and overpasses, which might be exposed to extreme weather conditions and the application of de-icing salts. In such structures, using the non-corrodible FRP bars is a viable alternative to avoid steel-corrosion problems. However, the linear-elastic behaviour of FRP materials makes the ability of continuous beams to redistribute loads and moments questionable. The objective of this research project is to investigate the flexural behaviour of continuous concrete beams reinforced with FRP and their capability of moment redistribution. An experimental program was conducted at the University of Manitoba to realize the research objectives. Ten full-scale continuous concrete beams were constructed and tested to failure in the laboratory. The specimens had a rectangular cross-section of 200×300 mm and continuous over two spans of 2,800 mm each. The main investigated parameters were the amount and material of longitudinal reinforcement, the amount and material of transverse reinforcement and the spacing of used stirrups. The experimental results showed that moment redistribution in FRP-reinforced continuous concrete beams is possible if the reinforcement configuration is chosen properly, and is improved by increasing the amount of transverse reinforcement. A finite element investigation was conducted using ANSYS-software. A 3-D model was created to simulate the behaviour of continuous beams reinforced with FRP. The model was verified against the experimental results obtained from the present study. This verified model was used to investigate the effect of the concrete compressive strength, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, midspan-to-middle support reinforcement ratio and the amount of transverse reinforcement on the behaviour of FRP-reinforced beams. The analytical results of this parametric investigation along with the experimental results were used to propose an allowable limit for moment redistribution in FRP-reinforced continuous concrete beams.

The following thesis presents the results of six full scale beams tests as part of a research program conducted at McGill University on the effect of steel fibres on the shear capacity of a beam with an aid ratio greater than 2.5. The test specimens had the following dimensions: 4400 mm long, 300 mm wide and 500 mm long. The beams had 4-25M bottom reinforcing bars and 2-20M top reinforcing bars. Two series were designed with different reinforcing details: the "BA" series contained transverse reinforcement spaced at 275 mm center to center while the "BB" series had no transverse reinforcement. The specimens were cast in three batches of two specimens from each series, with each batch containing concrete with respectively 0%, 0.5% and 1% fibres content by volume. The beams were simply supported and were tested with two equal point loads located at 500 mm from the centre of the beam. / This research project demonstrated a clear improvement of the shear capacity resulting from the use of steel fibres for the beams without transverse reinforcement. For the beams with transverse reinforcement, displacement ductility was highly increased. This suggests that fibres have the potential to reduce the congestion of the reinforcement if fibres are designed to replace partially closely spaced transverse reinforcement. Also, it was noted that a redistribution of stresses occurred resulting in the formation of more well-controlled cracks. Finally, the strength predictions using the method developed by Aoude (Aoude, 2007) agree very well with the experimental results.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 202-209).

Thesis (M.App.Sc.) - Carleton University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 184-188). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Description based on contents viewed May 30, 2008; title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references (p. 84-86).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1966. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: l. 79-81.

Thesis (Ph.D) -- University of Western Sydney, 2006. / A thesis submitted to the University of Western Sydney, College of Health and Science, School of Engineering, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 101-102).

Muitas edificações têm apresentado degradação ao longo dos anos em todo o mundo, gerando situações de risco e causando acidentes, de modo que se têm estudado alternativas para se recuperar ou reforçar estruturalmente suas vigas, pilares e lajes. Entre as técnicas desenvolvidas para essas finalidades, destacam-se, atualmente, as que utilizam compósitos de polímeros reforçados com fibras (PRF), de modo que, desde as últimas décadas do século passado, desenvolveram-se os sistemas de reforço estrutural por colagem externa de tecidos e laminados de PRF de carbono (PRFC). Isto deve-se a este tipo de fibra apresentar o melhor conjunto de propriedades necessárias para se reforçarem as estruturas de concreto armado, como altas resistência à tração e módulo de elasticidade longitudinal. Na última década, surgiu o sistema de inserção de laminados de PRFC em entalhes executados no concreto de cobrimento de elementos estruturais preenchidos com resina epóxi. Embora haja resultados de outros pesquisadores, há a necessidade de maiores investigações no Brasil sobre o desempenho dessa nova técnica. Assim se propôs o planejamento experimental desta dissertação, cujo objetivo principal foi a análise experimental do desempenho de sistemas de reforço estrutural à flexão com laminados de PRFC aplicados a vigas de concreto armado ensaiadas com carregamento estático. De um total de dez vigas pré-moldadas, quatro foram testemunhos e seis foram reforçadas à flexão com dois laminados de PRFC através de três sistemas: colagem externa, inserção em entalhes longitudinais preenchidos com resina epóxi e com argamassa com sílica ativa. Analisa-se comparativamente o seu desempenho quanto às cargas máximas, aos deslocamentos verticais no centro do vão e às aberturas de fissuras. Constata-se que as reforçadas com laminados de PRFC inseridos em entalhes longitudinais preenchidos com resina epóxi apresentam os maiores valores de carga máxima e de rigidez. Entretanto as preenchidas com argamassa com sílica ativa obtêm desempenho inferior ao das vigas testemunhos por falta de aderência. Também se conclui que as reforçadas com colagem externa de laminados de PRFC têm os menores deslocamentos verticais no centro do vão. / Many buildings have shown deterioration over the years around the world, creating a hazardous situation and causing accidents, so that they have studied alternatives to recover or strengthen their structural beams, columns and slabs. Among the techniques developed for these purposes, stand out, currently, those using fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. Since the last decades of the last century, it has been developed structural reinforcement systems of externally bonded carbon FRP (CFRP) textiles and laminates. This is due to the type of fiber having the best set of properties that are necessary to strengthen reinforced concrete structures, such as high tensile strength and longitudinal elastic modulus. In the last decade, the near-surface mounted CFRP laminates system executed in grooves in the concrete cover of structural elements filled with epoxy resin came up. Although there are results from other researchers, there is a need for further investigation in Brazil on the performance of this new technique. Thus, the experimental program of this thesis has been proposed, which main objective was the experimental analysis of the performance of bending structural reinforcement systems with CFRP laminates applied to reinforced concrete beams tested under static loading. From a total of ten precast beams, four were for control and six were strengthened in bending with two CFRP laminates composites through three systems: externally bonded, near-surface mounted insertion into longitudinal grooves filled with epoxy resin and mortar with silica fume. Their performance is comparatively analyzed for maximum loads, vertical displacements at mid-span and crack openings. It is concluded that those reinforced with near-surface mounted CFRP laminates inserted into longitudinal grooves filled with epoxy resin shows the highest maximum load and stiffness. However those filled with mortar with silica fume obtained lower performance than the control beams for lack of bonding. In addition, it is concluded that the ones strengthened with externally bonded CFRP laminates have the lowest mid-span vertical displacements.