Bridges located in harsh environmental conditions and subjected to daily fatigue loads are particularly vulnerable to corrosion and rapid deterioration of their components. One of the key challenges for civil engineers is developing effective methods for improving or rehabilitating reinforced concrete (RC) bridges. Bonding carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) to the surface of bridge elements has been extensively studied and widely implemented in field applications, demonstrating its effectiveness as a reliable and practical solution for bridge strengthening. Despite numerous experimental results and field tests, further investigation is needed to understand the combined effects of fatigue loading and freeze-thaw cycles (FTC) on CFRP-strengthened bridges. This research examines the performance of externally bonded CFRP in rehabilitating RC bridges under the combined action of fatigue loading and FTC. A total of 12 RC beams were tested: two unstrengthened control beams, two beams strengthened with CFRP in flexure and tested under static load to determine maximum load capacity, and eight beams strengthened with CFRP and subjected to fatigue loading after undergoing 0, 100, 200, and 300 freeze-thaw cycles. The results indicate that all CFRP-strengthened beams failed due to debonding, though the presence of anchorage altered the debonding mechanism from concrete cover separation to intermediate crack-induced debonding. Freeze-thaw cycles did not significantly affect the failure modes observed.

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Performance of RC Beams Strengthened with CFRP Under the Combined Action of Fatigue Loading and Freeze-Thaw Cycles

  • Mohamed Ahmed,
  • Slimane Metiche,
  • Radhouane Masmoudi

摘要

Bridges located in harsh environmental conditions and subjected to daily fatigue loads are particularly vulnerable to corrosion and rapid deterioration of their components. One of the key challenges for civil engineers is developing effective methods for improving or rehabilitating reinforced concrete (RC) bridges. Bonding carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) to the surface of bridge elements has been extensively studied and widely implemented in field applications, demonstrating its effectiveness as a reliable and practical solution for bridge strengthening. Despite numerous experimental results and field tests, further investigation is needed to understand the combined effects of fatigue loading and freeze-thaw cycles (FTC) on CFRP-strengthened bridges. This research examines the performance of externally bonded CFRP in rehabilitating RC bridges under the combined action of fatigue loading and FTC. A total of 12 RC beams were tested: two unstrengthened control beams, two beams strengthened with CFRP in flexure and tested under static load to determine maximum load capacity, and eight beams strengthened with CFRP and subjected to fatigue loading after undergoing 0, 100, 200, and 300 freeze-thaw cycles. The results indicate that all CFRP-strengthened beams failed due to debonding, though the presence of anchorage altered the debonding mechanism from concrete cover separation to intermediate crack-induced debonding. Freeze-thaw cycles did not significantly affect the failure modes observed.