The effect of different wrapping schemes on the shear capacity of rc beams using the finite element method

Abstract

Structural strength degradation was a highly important issue in the construction sector. In recent years, studies on the use of Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer (NFRP) composites as external reinforcement have been started. The innovation of using abaca fibers as a mixture in NFRP composites provides a sufficiently high tensile strength. This innovation has the potential to be further developed to optimize the mechanical properties and applications of the composite. With the current technological advancements, numerical analysis carried out using various software based on finite element methods is one tool to solve the engineering problem. One of them was the ATENA software. This research aimed to strengthen the shear capacity of reinforced concrete beams using abaca FRP composites with various wrapping schemes (two sides wrap, U wrap, and complete wrap). The beams were modeled and analyzed by ATENA software. The solution of this problem was solved using the arc-length method. The numerical analysis results showed an increase in the maximum shear capacity by 11%, 14%, and 18% for two sides, U, and complete wraps, respectively. The crack angle on the complete wrap beam occurred at 37 degrees, and it was the largest among the other beams.