EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF CONTINUOUS RC BEAMS STRENGTHENED WITH CFRP FABRICS UNDER TORSION

In the last ten years or a little more, CFRP strips and fabrics have been successfully externally bonded to rehabilitate the concrete structures. Most of the previous research focused on the use of CFRP as an enhanced material to improve flexural, shear, ductility and ductility behaviour and confinement of concrete structural members, while limited attention was paid to the investigation of strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) members against torsion, particularly continuous concrete beams. This study aims to detect experimentally the CFRP strengthening technique for continuous RC beams exposed to pure torsion. The experimental program includes investigation of two groups of beams; the first group was composed of twelve un-strengthened beam specimens and the second one includes a total of twelve strengthened beam specimens; all were experienced under pure torsion. Factors considered in the testing program included the effects of concrete compressive strength and the angel of a twist. The angle of twist at each level of force applications, torque at first crack, ultimate torque was to be in comparison with for control and strengthened beams. The outcomes of the tests indicated that all beams wrapped with CFRP fabrics resulted in improvement in tensional resistance as compared with the reference specimens