Finite Element Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened with Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Polymer Systems using ANSYS

Abstract

Background: Existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures can deteriorate over time due to aging, poor construction design, natural disasters, etc. In recent years, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials are becoming a preferred choice for concrete construction repair due to their durability, high strength, and corrosion resistance. This study aimed to study and analyze the properties of the constituent materials to identify any weaknesses and potential improvements. Methods: The present study investigated the effectiveness of flexural strengthening of RC beams using a hybrid grouping of glass-FRP (GFRP) and carbon-FRP (CFRP) unidirectional laminates. ANSYS finite element analysis (FE) software was used to investigate the failure modes of the beams and the stress-strain parameters. The impact of adopting two different grades of reinforcing bars in RC beam modeling was also contrasted in the study. Results: Comparisons between the finite element analysis and experimental literature results were made. Based on the test findings, it could be concluded that retrofitted beams perform better than non-retrofitted beams. According to experimental results, the HY14 sheet enhanced beam had a 188.46% higher ultimate load than the unenhanced beams. Conclusion: Comparing experimental findings to the conclusions of the numerical analysis, a maximum difference of ultimate load and deflection at mid-span of 3.40% and 4.91%, respectively, were used to assess the accuracy of the results.