An experimental study on fatigue performance of T-shape RC beams strengthened with externally prestressed CFRP tendons

A novel technique that strengthening with externally prestressed CFRP tendons has been applied on 3 T-shape RC beams. Two experimental parameters including the prestressing level of CFRP tendons as well as the precracks at the bottom of the specimen are taken into account and comparison with one unstrengthened beam is performed to investigate the influence of the developed technique on the fatigue performance of T-shape RC beam.Test results indicate that the fatigue behavior of strengthened members have been improved in terms of that the fatigue life is prolonged, the fatigue deformation is decreased and the extension of crack is alleviated as compared with the unstrengthened ones. Moreover,the more prestressing level of external CFRP tendons,the more improvement of the fatigue performance.The strain loss of CFRP tendons is in reasonable range, fatigue failure did not happen to anchorage system. Consequently, it indicates that the developed technique can satisfy the requirement in high cycle fatigue load situation and improve the fatigue performance of RC members.