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Procedia Engineering 52 (2013) 446 – 452

Calculation of Flexural Strengthening of Fire-damaged Reinforced

Concrete Beams with CFRP Sheets
XIANG Kai*, WANG Guo-hui
Tianjin Fire Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security, Tianjin 300381, China

Abstract

In order to research the calculating method of flexural strength of fire-damaged reinforced concrete (RC) beams with carbon
fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets strengthening, the flexural strength of fire-damaged beam was analyzed with
section analysis. The fire exposed region includes tensile region and compressive region. A procedure was developed for
quantifying the amount of bending moment of fire-damaged RC beams section with an external strengthening CFRP sheets.
An equation of CFRP sheets of effective strain was recommended. The proposed method was verified under the
experimental results as well. The results show that the proposed approach is capable of predicting bending moment of fire-
damaged RC beams with an accuracy that is sufficient for design purposes.
© 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
© 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of School of Engineering of Sun Yat-sen University
Keywords: fire-damaged; carbon fiber reinforced polymer; reinforced concrete beams; bending moment; effective strain

Nomenclature

Acf total area of CFRP external reinforcement, mm2

As total area of tensile steel reinforcement, mm2
A's total area of compressive steel reinforcement, mm2
a's distance from the extreme compression fiber to the centroid of compressive steel reinforcement area, mm
b width of RC beam rectangular section, mm
c distance from the extreme compression fiber to the centroid of compressive region area, mm
cj distance from the extreme compression fiber to the centroid of strip number j area, j from 1 to m, mm
Ecf tensile modulus of elasticity of CFRP, MPa
Es tensile modulus of elasticity of steel, MPa
fc axial compressive strength of concrete, MPa

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +86-22-23383501-2501; fax: +86-22-23950119.

E-mail address: [email protected].

1877-7058 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of School of Engineering of Sun Yat-sen University
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2013.02.167
 Xiang Kai and Wang Guo-hui / Procedia Engineering 52 (2013) 446 – 452 447

fy yield strength of tensile steel reinforcement, MPa

f'y yield strength of compressive steel reinforcement, MPa
h height of RC beam rectangular section, mm
h0 distance from the extreme compression fiber to the centroid of tensile steel reinforcement area, mm
hf distance from the extreme compression fiber to the centroid of CFRP reinforcement area, mm
Kj a reduction coefficient of compressive strength of concrete after fire-damaged
Ks a reduction coefficient of strength of tensile steel reinforcement after fire-damaged
K's a reduction coefficient of strength of compressive steel reinforcement after fire-damaged
MuT flexural strength of fire-damaged section, N·mm, (kN·m)
m total number of h height of strips from extreme compression fiber to the neutral axis
x depth of the equivalent rectangular stress block, mm
xb depth of the equivalent rectangular stress block of RC beam section for a balanced failure, mm
xcfb depth of the equivalent rectangular stress block of CFRP reinforcement strengthened RC beam section for a
balanced failure, mm
xn distance from the outer compressive fiber to the neutral axis, mm
xnb distance from the outer compressive fiber to the neutral axis of RC beam section for a balanced failure, mm
xncfb distance from the outer compressive fiber to the neutral axis of CFRP reinforcement strengthened RC beam
section for a balanced failure, mm
1 a factor that is a function of the strength of the concrete
1 a factor that is a function of the strength of the concrete
h height of one strip of equivalent representative section, mm
c strain of concrete, mm/mm
cf strain level in the CFRP reinforcement, mm/mm
[ cf] effective strain level in CFRP reinforcement attained at section failure, mm/mm
*
cfu ultimate rupture strain of the CFRP reinforcement, mm/mm
cu maximum usable compressive strain of concrete, mm/mm
s strain of steel reinforcement, mm/mm
y yield strain of steel reinforcement, mm/mm
cf stress of CFRP reinforcement, MPa
s stress of steel reinforcement, MPa

1. Introduction

The first application of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening was to reinforced concrete (RC) beams, using wet
lay-up sheets or pre-cured plates bonded to the tension face of the RC beam with the fiber direction aligned to the beam axis.
This method of strengthening RC beams was first researched in the mid-1980s at the Swiss Federal Laboratory for Materials
Testing and Research (EMPA). Detailed research for flexural strengthening has been carried out over the past 20 years.
Analytical models based on the compatibility of deformations and equilibrium of forces are presented to predict the stresses
and deformations in RC beams strengthened with fiber composite plates epoxy-bonded to the tension face of the beams (An
et al., 1991). GangaRao et al. (1998) studied bending behavior of RC beams wrapped with carbon fabric. Wrapped RC
448 Xiang Kai and Wang Guo-hui / Procedia Engineering 52 (2013) 446 – 452

beams were analyzed considering conventional force equilibrium equations and compared with the experimental results.
Ross et al. (1999) developed an inelastic section analysis procedure that accurately predicts the load displacement response
of the retrofitted RC beams. A nonlinear finite element method analysis was also conducted that corroborates the results
from the experimental study and inelastic section analysis. Arya et al. (2002) presented a worked example of a RC beam
strengthened with bonded FRP reinforcement in order to illustrate the design procedure for flexural strengthening. Toutanji
et al. (2006) collected database to verify the design formulas presented in ACI 440. 2R-02. The performance of some other
simple strength design models was investigated based on the same database and compared with that of the ACI model,
which was found to have the least scattered prediction compared to others. Finally, a modified maximum strain FRP
equation was recommended. ACI(2002) provided guidance for the selection, design, and installation of FRP systems for
externally strengthening concrete structures. As a result of extensive research, a reasonably detailed understanding has been
obtained and comprehensive design theory developed. But for fire-damaged RC beams, seldom studies have been reported.
Xu et al. (2005) proposed a practical design method which had good agreement with the experiment results.
The process of repairing fire-damaged RC beams with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets should be
followed three steps: Firstly, serious fire-damaged concrete should be removed before strengthening, such as more than 600
ºC concrete of the strengthened surface. Secondly, epoxy bonding adhesive was used to retrofitting the strengthened surface
of RC beams. Thirdly, according to designing, CFRP sheets were used to strengthening the fire-damaged RC beams (Xiang
et al., 2011). The purpose of this research work covers two problems for CFRP strengthening or retrofitting RC beams,
namely the calculating procedure and effective strain of CFRP sheets strengthening fire-damaged sections of RC beams. To
this end, compared calculating results with experimental results, and the proposed calculating approach is capable of
predicting bending moment of fire-damaged sections of RC beams with an accuracy that is sufficient for design purposes.

2. Failure modes

The flexural strength of a section depends on the controlling failure mode. The following flexural failure modes should
be investigated for an FRP strengthened section (ACI 440. 2R-02, 2002):
Crushing of the concrete in compression before yielding of the reinforcing steel;
Yielding of the steel in tension followed by rupture of the FRP laminate;
Yielding of the steel in tension followed by concrete crushing;
Shear/tension delamination of the concrete cover (cover delamination); and
Debonding of the FRP from the concrete substrate (FRP debonding).
The permitted flexural failure of an FRP-plated RC section can be in one of two modes: tensile rupture of the FRP plate
or compressive crushing of the concrete. These modes are very similar to the classical flexural failure modes of RC beams,
except for small differences due to the brittleness of the bonded FRP plate. FRP rupture generally occurs following the
yielding of the steel tension bars, although steel yielding may not have been reached if the steel bars are located far away
from the tension face.

2.1. Balance, overreinforced, and underreinforced beams

For fire-damaged bending RC beams, a plane section before bending remains a plane section after bending. That is, the
strain throughout the depth of the member varies linearly from zero at the neutral axis. Tests have shown this assumption to
be essentially correct (Xu et al., 2005). The relative neutral axis depth of strengthened RC beam section is classified as three
parts, as is shown in Fig 1.

Fig. 1. Neutral axis depth of strengthened section

xnb / h0 = cu /( cu + y) (1)

xncfb / h = cu /( cu + [ cf]) (2)

 Xiang Kai and Wang Guo-hui / Procedia Engineering 52 (2013) 446 – 452 449

cf = (h – xn) cu / xn [ cf] (3)

If x < xcfb, stain level in the concrete c is less than cu when cf = [ cf], and the amount of CFRP reinforcement is not
enough. If x = xcfb, stain level in the concrete c is equal to cu when cf = [ cf], and this is the case of strengthening the
minimal amount of CFRP reinforcement. If xb < x < xcfb, the internal tensile steel reinforcement reaches the yield strength
and the concrete reaches the extreme fiber compression strain of cu, and cf is less than [ cf]. If x = xb, the internal tensile
steel reinforcement reaches the yield strength and the concrete reaches the extreme fiber compression strain of cu, and cf is
less than [ cf], and this is the case of strengthening the maximal amount of CFRP reinforcement. If x > xb, the internal tensile
steel reinforcement does not reach the yield strength and the concrete reaches the extreme fiber compression strain of cu,
and cf is less than [ cf].
If cf satisfies the equation (3), tensile rupture of the CFRP sheets is the failure mode of strengthened RC beams,
otherwise compressive crushing of the concrete is the failure mode of strengthened RC beams.

3. Flexural strengthening of fire-damaged RC beams

The following assumptions are made in calculating the flexural resistance of a section strengthened with an externally
applied CFRP system:
Design calculations are based on the actual dimensions, internal reinforcing steel arrangement, and material properties of
the existing member being strengthened;
The strains in the reinforcement and concrete are directly proportional to the distance from the neutral axis, that is, a
plane section before loading remains plane after loading;
There is no relative slip between external CFRP reinforcement and the concrete;
The shear deformation within the adhesive layer is neglected since the adhesive layer is very thin with slight variations in
its thickness;
Based on the principle of equivalent strength and invariable centroid, the section of fire-damaged RC beam was
translated to equivalent representative section of ambient temperature RC beam;
The tensile strength of concrete is neglected; and
The CFRP reinforcement has a linear elastic stress-strain relationship to failure.

3.1. Flexural strength of fire-damaged section of tensile region

Three types of failure modes are permitted for the flexural failure modes of fire-damaged RC beams with CFRP
reinforcement strengthening. Take RC beams of rectangular section of fire-damaged three sides as an example, Figure 2
shows the equivalent section and stress distribution of fire-damaged section in tensile region with CFRP reinforcement
strengthening. The adhesive layer and CFRP sheets are very thin, so hf approximately equals to h. The value of 1 is taken as
1.00 for fcu 50 MPa, and the value of 1 is taken as 0.94 for fcu = 80 MPa, and 1 is taken as linear interpolation for 50 MPa
< fcu < 80 MPa. The value of 1 is taken as 0.80 for fcu 50 MPa, and the value of 1 is taken as 0.74 for fcu = 80 MPa, and 1
is taken as linear interpolation for 50 MPa < fcu < 80 MPa.

Fig. 2. Equivalent section and stress distribution

If xcfb x xb, the strain distribution and stress distribution are shown in Fig 3(a). The flexural strength of CFRP
strengthened RC beams is defined as:

MuT = fyKsAs(h0 – 0.5x) + Ecf cfAcf(h – 0.5x) + f'yK'sA's(0.5x – a's) (4)

1fcKjbx + f'yK'sA's = fyKsAs + Ecf cfAcf (5)

x= 1 cuh /( cu + cf) (6)

450 Xiang Kai and Wang Guo-hui / Procedia Engineering 52 (2013) 446 – 452

If x < xcfb, the strain distribution and stress distribution are shown in Fig 3(b). The flexural strength of CFRP strengthened
RC beams is includes two types of situations.
When 2a's < x < xcfb, the conservative value of x is obtained, so x = xcfb. The flexural strength of CFRP strengthened RC
beams is defined as:

MuT = fyKsAs(h0 – 0.5xcfb) + Ecf[ cf]Acf (h – 0.5xcfb) + f'yK'sA's(0.5xcfb – a's) (7)

When x = 2a's, the conservative value of x is obtained, so x = 2a's. The flexural strength of CFRP strengthened RC beams
is defined as:

MuT = fyKsAs(h0 – a's) + Ecf[ cf]Acf (h – a's) (8)

From equations (2) and (6), if 1 = 0.8 and [ cf] = 0.01, x = 0.2h. If 1 = 0.8 and [ cf] = 0.0033, x = 0.4h. Generally, the
depth of the equivalent rectangular stress block of CFRP reinforcement strengthened RC beam section is less than 0.4h. The
equation (7) is further simplified to:

MuT = fyKsAs(h0 – 0.2h) + Ecf[ cf]Acf(0.8h) + f'yK'sA's(0.2h – a's) (9)

If x > xb, the strain distribution and stress distribution are shown in Fig 3(c). The flexural strength of CFRP strengthened
RC beams is defined as:

MuT = 1fcKjbx(h0 – 0.5x) + cfAcf(h – h0) + f'yK'sA's(h0 – a's) (10)

cf = Ecf cu( 1h / x – 1) (11)

s = Es cu( 1h0 / x – 1) (12)

3.2. Flexural strength of fire-damaged section of compressive region

Figure 4 shows the equivalent section and stress distribution of fire-damaged section in compressive region with CFRP
reinforcement strengthening. The compressive region of rectangular section was translated into indented section. The height
of compressive region approximately is m h+ h/2. Take RC beams of rectangular section of fire-damaged three sides as an
example, the flexural strength of CFRP strengthened RC beams is defined as:

1fc Kjb h + 1fcKm+1b h/2 + f'yK'sA's = sKsAs + Ecf cfAcf (13)

MuT = 1fc Kjb h(h0 – c) + 1fc Km+1b( h/2)(h0 – m h- h/2) + f'yK'sA's(x – a's) (14)

c = ( Kjb hcj) / ( Kjb h) = ( Kjcj) / ( Kj) (15)

x = m h + h/2 xb (16)

Figure 5 shows the calculating procedure of flexural strength of fire-damaged section in compressive region with CFRP
reinforcement strengthening.

Fig. 3. Flexural strength of a RC beam section with CFRP sheets (a) xcfb x xb; (b) x < xcfb; (c) x > xb
 Xiang Kai and Wang Guo-hui / Procedia Engineering 52 (2013) 446 – 452 451

Fig. 4. Equivalent section and stress distribution

Equation(14)
Yes
x=x b M uT
Equation(13) Equation(13) Equation(14)
Yes
If A cf , s=f y, cf = K sf yh/E sh0 x x>x b cf =[ cf ] x M uT
Equation(13)
If cf =[ cf ] x<x cfb Equation(6) and
No equation(13) Equation(14)
cf <[ cf ] x and cf M uT
No

Fig. 5. Calculating procedure

4. Effective strain of CFRP and experiment validation

The tensile modulus of elasticity of CFRP is between 120 GPa and 250 GPa. Number of plies of CFRP reinforcement is
between 1 and 4. One ply of CFRP sheet is 0.111 mm or 0.167 mm. Based on ACI 440. 2R-02, the proposed calculating
method of effective strain level in CFRP reinforcement is obtained.
*
[ cf] = 0.60 cfu for interior exposure (17)
*
[ cf] = 0.54 cfu for exterior exposure (18)

Compared with normal temperature conditions, cover delamination and CFRP debonding are easier to happen in CFRP
sheets strengthening fire-damaged RC beams. Finally, effective strain of CFRP is proposed to define as:
*
[ cf] = 0.45 cfu (19)

Based on four fire-damaged RC T-beams of CFRP sheets strengthening, the proposed method was verified under the
experimental results (Xiang et al., 2011). Table 1 is bending moment of section of calculating results and experimental
results of fire-damaged continuous RC T-beams with CFRP sheets strengthening. Tensile rupture of the CFRP sheets was
happened in all the continuous RC T-beams. The calculating values of MuT are conservative prediction, but CFRP
reinforcement strengthening fire-damaged RC beams is very complicated, so the proposed method is feasible and effective.

Table 1. Bending moment of section

MuT of midspan / (kN·m) MuT of central support / (kN·m)

No.
Elasticity Experiment Calculating error Elasticity Experiment Calculating error
T2 52.57 66.01 41.85 0.3660 80.86 58.48 48.26 0.1748
T3 48.35 60.95 34.82 0.4287 74.26 53.74 40.73 0.2421
B2 47.37 52.00 27.21 0.4767 72.88 65.18 50.24 0.2292
B3 52.89 73.48 41.27 0.4384 81.37 47.06 40.06 0.1487

5. Conclusions

A procedure was developed for quantifying the amount of bending moment of fire-damaged RC beams section with an
external strengthening CFRP sheets. An equation of CFRP sheets of effective strain was recommended. The proposed
method was verified under the experimental results as well. The calculating values of MuT are conservative prediction, but
452 Xiang Kai and Wang Guo-hui / Procedia Engineering 52 (2013) 446 – 452

CFRP reinforcement strengthening fire-damaged RC beams is very complicated, so the proposed method is feasible and
effective. The results show that the proposed approach is capable of predicting bending moment of fire-damaged RC beams
with an accuracy that is sufficient for design purposes.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Innovation and Application of Chinese Ministry of
Public Security (No. 2010YYCXTJXF135) and the National Key Technology Research and Development Program of China
(No. 2011BAK03B0104), which enabled this work to be carried out.

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