Flexural behavior of steel beams strengthened by carbon fiber reinforced polymer plates – Three dimensional finite element simulation

Debonding, as a mode of failure, is one of the major limitations when using externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) plates in strengthening of steel beams. In this work, mode of failure and flexural behavior of both steel and steel–concrete composite beams strengthened by different lengths of CFRP plates were numerically investigated. The effect of both splicing position (at mid-span and near supports) and CFRP plate ends configuration were studied. Three dimensional finite element analysis (3D FEA) was adopted to simulate the nonlinear behavior of these beams loaded under four point bending configuration. The present numerical analysis assisted by previously valuable experimental results found in the literature succeeded to predict the critical CFRP plate length at which, full efficiency of the adhesively bonded plate is achieved.