Finite Element Modelling of Heat Damaged Concrete Externally Bonded with GFRP Laminate

Abstract

Given the extreme occurrences of natural disasters (earthquakes or storms) and accidents (fire or explosion), over the past century repairing and enhancing of current concrete constructions has become more prevalent owing to increasing understanding and confidence in the use of sophisticated composite repair products. The previous experience of actual fires demonstrates that it is unusual for concrete construction to collapse due to fire and that most fire-damaged concrete buildings can be economically repaired rather than being totally replaced or demolished. Due to their high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios, corrosion resistance, lightweight and moderately high durability, simple installation and low labor costs, the use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites has achieved popularity among the reinforcing products. Two popular methods in the FRP implementation for reinforcement are. The former is widely used for purposes of strengthening, while the latter is also becoming popular day by day. Partial or full damage of concrete members due to accidental fire – that is at elevated temperature – often leads to a significant reduction in the strength of concrete. The strength of such heat-damaged concrete structural members may be improved partly by the application of FRP composites – either by wrapping as whole or bonding locally on external surfaces. Both require an understanding of the bond characteristics of FRP laminates with heat-damaged concretes. Also, recent research has attempted to simulate the behavior of reinforced concrete structures strengthened with FRP composites using the finite element method (FEM). In the present study, finite element modeling of a heat damaged concrete specimen externally bonded with the GFRP Laminate is carried out with the help of commercially available software ANSYS 15.0. The results of the Finite Element Model are compared with the experimental results which were done by the researcher. It is found that the values of Load vs Slip obtained in ANSYS are close to the Load vs Slip values obtained from the experimental study