Evaluating the Shear Behaviour of FRP-Reinforced ‎Concrete Beams Using the ‎Shear Crack Propagation Theory

Abstract

Most infrastructures in the world are made with reinforced concrete (RC), and one of the ‎crucial concerns in North America is corrosion of steel reinforcement in RC structures. ‎Corrosion can lead to severe degradation which can affect the serviceability and ultimate limit ‎state, and cause failure. One solution for overcoming this phenomenon is the use of corrosion-‎resistant fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement. In addition to corrosion resistance, ‎FRPs also present other advantages such as high strength and light weight compared to steel ‎reinforcing bars. Their mechanical properties differ from those of steel; therefore, the flexural ‎and shear behaviour of FRP-RC members requires investigation. In general, predictions from flexural design equations are close to results from experimental ‎data. However, shear strength predictions based on different modelling approaches can vary ‎greatly. Thus, in the last century, one of the main controversies in the field of structural ‎engineering attracting continuous attention is the shear behaviour of RC members. In previous ‎studies, factors such as concrete strength, reinforcement ratio, beam depth, beam width, size ‎effect, aggregate size, fracture energy and shear slenderness have been investigated in an effort ‎to solve the riddle of shear in beams. Recently, a new rational theory named "Shear Crack ‎Propagation Theory" (SCPT) was introduced that combines crack kinematics with constitutive ‎material behaviour to predict shear behaviour over the entire loading process, rather than only ‎focusing on the point of failure. To date, the SCPT has only been used to predict the shear behaviour of RC beams containing ‎steel reinforcement. The present study is the first to apply the SCPT to RC beams with non-‎metallic reinforcement. The numerical analysis using SCPT on RC members was validated ‎against published test data and examines the role of important parameters such as ‎reinforcement modulus of elasticity, reinforcement ratio, bond condition, and dowel resistance.‎