RC two-way slabs strengthened with CFRP strips: experimental study and a limit analysis approach

This paper deals with strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) two-way slabs with carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) strips bonded to the tensile face. The first part deals with an experimental study. The fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) strengthened slab test presents a failure mode with debonding of the external FRP strips from the slab. The second part deals with a limit analysis modelling. The strengthened slab is designed as a three-layered plate. A simplified laminated plate model is used to describe the behaviour of three-layered plate supported in four sides, which is subjected to a load in the centre. The upper bound theorem of limit analysis is used to approximate the ultimate load capacity and identify the different collapse mechanisms. Experimental results are compared with theoretical predictions.