ANALYSIS OF RC BEAMS WITH OPENINGS STRENGTHENED WITH CFRP

Abstract

Creating transvers web opening in existing reinforced concrete beams, to provide a convenient passage for utility ducts, causes local cracking around the opening region leading to a decrease in stiffness and load-carrying capacity of the beam. (ANSYS) software was used to investigate the effect of opening size and shape on simply supported RC beams under four-point loading. Also, the effectiveness of using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets, as strengthening around the opening, was studied. A total of 35 (FE) models were created, 10 of them were compared with experimental results to ensure the validity of the (FE) models. The results showed that, circular and rounded corner openings had less crack propagation around openings at early stages of loading and higher ultimate load than rectangular openings. Also, using (CFRP) sheets can prevent early cracking around the opening and retrieve most of the original strength of the solid RC beam depending on the opening size.