Fire Resistance of Fire-Protected Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened with Externally Bonded Reinforcement Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polymers at the Full Utilisation Degree

Abstract

The fire resistance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with externally bonded reinforcement carbon fibre-reinforced polymers (EBR CFRP) depends on the load level and degree of strengthening. Design guides for this type of structure recommend strengthening limits to prevent collapse of the structure due to vandalism, damage or fire. In practice, however, it is not uncommon to exceed the proposed limits. This necessitates protection of the CFRP adhesive against high temperatures, namely glass transition temperature levels. This paper presents the results of 10 full-scale experimental fire resistance tests of reinforced concrete beams with EBR CFRP strengthening, with and without fire protection and under various load levels including full utilisation. It was demonstrated that in cases where CFRP strengthening was not needed to carry load in an accidental fire scenario, test specimens with and without it achieved the same fire resistance. It was also proven that in cases where CFRP failure influenced the failure of the entire beam, fire protection was crucial for maintaining the beam’s load-bearing capacity and its thickness had to be substantial. A fire resistance rating of over 4 h was achieved, nevertheless.