GRC and GFRP for new structures and seismic rehabilitation

J. G. Ferreira, F. A. Branco & J. P. Correia, Instituto Superior Tcnico, Technical

University of Lisbon, Portugal

USA-PT Seminar
Lamego, Portugal

ABSTRACT: The seismic rehabilitation problems led, in recent years, to the study of new structural
solutions, where composite materials are increasingly emerging due to their low weight, high strength and
better durability. In this paper two research case studies are presented, related to the rehabilitation of floors,
namely in old masonry buildings with wooden floors. The first case is related to the structural use of GRC
and polyurethane foam in building slabs and the second is related to the study of GFRP-concrete composite
beams also for floor rehabilitation.
1 INTRODUCTION
The seismic rehabilitation problems led, in recent
years, to the study of new structural solutions,
where composite materials are increasingly
emerging due to their low weight, strength and
better durability. This is particularly advantageous
in the seismic rehabilitation of old masonry
buildings, built with wooden floors, where a low
weight and high stiffness in the new floors are
fundamental goals.
In this paper two research case studies of
innovative building slabs are presented, one related
to the use of GRC and polyurethane foam and the
other related to the study of GFRP-concrete
composite beams.
GRC - Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete - is a
material made of a cementitious matrix composed
of cement, sand, water and admixtures, in which
short length glass fibers are dispersed. It has been
widely used in the construction industry for nonstructural elements, like faade panels. The results
of a research project are here presented, where this
material was applied in light weight building
pre-slabs, built by the precast industry. The
lightness and high impact and tensile strength
advantages of the GRC were associated with the
lightness of polyurethane foam leading to an
innovative type of light weight pre-slab. This paper
presents the experimental results obtained in the
pre-slab and in the final slab, obtained by in situ
concreting of a compression lamina.

The use of pultruded GFRP beams in building

slabs, due to the relatively low elastic modulus
leads to designs being governed by deflection and
buckling limitations, rather than by strength
limitations. Their relatively low ratio of shear to
tensile modulus may also result in shear
deformation, constituting a significant proportion
of the total deformation. To reduce these effects,
their use in GFRP-concrete composite structures
may have a great viability. The experimental
research here presented had the objective of
studying the static behavior of composite
GFRP-concrete beams. Shear connection tests
where performed on GFRP I-profiles connected to
concrete, with stainless steel bolts. The results of
those tests were used to design and test a simply
supported beam, made with the same GFRP-I
profile connected to a concrete slab with shear
connectors.
These two new solutions for slab elements present
an easy construction and are particularly well
adapted for seismic rehabilitation due do their
lightness and stiffness. Their viability and main
characteristics are presented in this paper,
2 GRC FOR STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
2.1 General characteristics of GRC
GRC - Glass Fibre Reinforced Concrete - consists
basically of a cementitious matrix composed of
cement, sand, water and admixtures, in which short

length glass fibres are dispersed. The effect of the

fibres is reflected in the increase of the tension and
impact strength of the material. This material has
elements like faade panels (about 80 % of the
GRC production), piping for sanitation network
systems, decorative non-recoverable formwork and
other products (Bentur & Mindess (1990)).
Studies to use this material in structural elements
were recently developed within a European funded
research project and are here presented (Ferreira
(2001), Branco & Ferreira (2001), Persano-Adorno
(2000)). The structural advantages of GRC arise
from a reduced weight and a higher tensile strength
as compared with concrete.
Initially several experimental tests were performed
with GRC to determine its mechanical strength,
Young modulus, creep and shrinkage behaviour
and stress-strain diagrams in tension, compression
and under cyclic loading. The ageing effect in glass
was also analysed with accelerated ageing tests.
These led to a characterization of the production
conditions to obtain optimised material properties.
2.2 GRC pre-slab description
The new slab solution basically consists of lightweight slabs produced from a non-traditional preslab element.
The pre-slab is made of a 12 mm GRC inferior
lamina, complemented with a reinforcing
continuous glass fiber mesh (4 cm x 4 cm), on
which polyurethane foam blocks are placed.
Between the polyurethane blocks, and in both
directions, a grid of reinforced concrete ribs is
formed.
The pre-slab tops are supported on structural beams
and on temporary props, if needed. A welded steel
mesh is placed over the polyurethane elements and
a compression lamina is finally concreted.
The elements tested was 5,00 m long, 2,50 m wide
and 0,25 m thick. The compression lamina over the
polyurethane blocks was 4 cm thick.
There are 5 ribs in the longitudinal direction with
210+112 steel bars each placed immediately
over the GRC lamina. There are 3 ribs in the
transverse direction with 28 steel bars each. The
top reinforcement of the slab consists of a welded
steel mesh of 5//15, complemented with 210
along each rib.
The steel used in the concrete reinforcement was of
class A500NR. The compression lamina was made
with concreted with a compression strength
characteristic value of 42 MPa.

The total weight of the slab was 3505 kgf,

corresponding to a medium volume weight of
11,2 kN/m3.
Fig. 1 shows the pre-slab element tested.

Figure 1 GRC pre-slab

2.3 Experimental testing of the pre-slab element

The pre-slab element was subjected to three
different tests, namely: workers-induced vibration;
workers-induced deformation; deformation due to
concreting. These tests had the aim of evaluating
the pre-slab element capacity to resist the indicated
actions during installation and concreting,
particularly when no props are used.
The vibration of the pre-slab was measured in the
following 4 situations: a man crossing the slab,
centered, along the wider span; a man jumping
once in the middle of the element; 12 men jumping
once, together and synchronized, on the pre-slab
(Fig. 2); one man jumping once in the middle of
the pre-slab and once in the non-supported border,
at midspan.
The vertical vibration was measured with piezoelectric accelerometers placed in the midspan free
borders of the pre-slab.

Figure 2 Vibration test with a 12 men jump

1.50

Displacement (mm)

1.00
0.50
0.00
0

-0.50
-1.00
-1.50
Time (s)

Figure 3 Partial record of the first dynamic test (one man jump)

Spectral value (mm^2/Hz)

3.5
3.0

f = 8,2 Hz

2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
0

10

15

Frequency (Hz)

Figure 4 FFT obtained in the second test.

20

25

0.50
= 5%
Displacement (mm)

The FFT algorithm was applied to the first three

tests, in a zone of free oscillation (with no dynamic
action of the walking/jumping men), in order to
obtain the natural vibrating frequencies of the preslab.
From the analysis of the dynamic tests results the
following aspects are pointed out:
- The maximum oscillation values are 0,34 mm in
the first test, 1,41 mm in the second (Fig. 3), 5,69
in the third and 1,95 mm in the 4th;
- The first natural frequency of the pre-slab,
obtained with the FFT algorithm, was worth 8,0 Hz
to 8,4 Hz (Fig. 4);
- The structural damping factor is about 5%
(Fig. 5), as in the cracked concrete structures;
because the pre-slab is not expected to be cracked
under the imposed actions, it can be concluded that
this increase of the damping factor, when compared
to the 2% of non-cracked concrete, may be due to
the presence of the polyurethane foam;
- The level of vibrations induced is clearly felt by
the persons however it is not particularly disturbing

0.30
0.10
-0.10 2
-0.30

= 5%

-0.50
Time (s)

Figure 5 Damping factor obtained in free oscillation after a

one man jump

The deformation of the pre-slab induced by the

workers was measured in the following 2
situations: 12 men in the center of the pre-slab; 1
man in the center and in the free border of the preslab. During the tests the midspan displacement in
both free borders of the pre-slab were measured by
means of resistive displacement transducers of
0,01 mm precision.
In the first test a maximum value of 7,0 mm was
measured while in the second one a maximum of
0,6 mm was obtained while the men was centered
and of 1,2 mm at one border when the man was
near that border, in the midspan. In both tests a
practically fully elastic recuperation was observed.
Although the results show a good structural
behavior of the pre-slab during construction some
polyurethane blocks were partially damaged and a
reinforcing solution must be implemented (for
example, using massive instead of voided blocks,
since their weight will not substantially increase).
The results of the vibration and deformation tests
described show that for the construction phase the
pre-slab is viable.
During the concreting of the compression lamina
the slab was only supported at its ends (two parallel
supporting steel beams 4,70 m distant from each
other), without props, although these shall be used
in practical cases. The purpose of this procedure
was to evaluate the pre-slab capacity to resist the
concrete weight and to measure its deformation
under such circumstances that may accidentally
happen during construction. This may be regarded
as a non-destructive load-test of the pre-slab.
For this purposes the vertical displacements were
measured in the midspan, in both lateral borders
and in the center of the slab. Immediately after
concreting the slab was forced into the original
(before concreting) position and props were placed
under the slab.

The maximum displacements of about 9,5 mm

were measured in all transducers at the end of the
concreting phase (Fig. 6). During concreting the
bottom GRC lamina of the pre-slab didnt show
any cracking.

The force induced by each jack was measured with

electric load cells. During the test the
displacements at midspan, in the middle and in
both borders, were measured with resistive
displacement transducers.
The test was performed by progressively increasing
the force in the jacks, with one partial unloading.
The test stopped at a 40 mm displacement, after the
load capacity has been clearly achieved, and the
slab was then unloaded. Fig. 8 shows the total force
vs. average displacement diagram obtained. A
moment of 19 kN.m, corresponding to the slab
self-weight, must be added to the values showed in
the diagram to obtain the overall value of the
bending moment.

Figure 6 Concreting

The strength and Young modulus of the

compression lamina concrete was tested in,
respectively, 3 standard 15 cm edge cubes with 53
days old and two standard 15 cm diameter and
30 cm height cylinders 57 days old. A
characteristic value of 37 MPa was obtained for the
compression strength, what corresponds to a value
of about 34 MPa at 28 days while a medium value
of 31 GPa was obtained for the Young modulus.
2.4 Experimental bending tests of the slab element
The slab element was tested in bending either for
the positive bending in midspan and for negative
bending near its supporting lines.
To perform the positive bending test the middle
span props were removed and a steel beam was
placed to distribute the loads to be applied by two
hydraulic jacks, mounted on a steel reaction frame
(Fig. 7).

Figure 7 Positive bending test setup

Bending moment (kN.m)

250.0
200.0
150.0
100.0
50.0
0.0
0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

Displacement (mm)

Figure 8 Positive bending test result

From the analysis of the test results the following

aspects must be highlighted:
- The slab cracking, occurred when the diagram
lost linearity, corresponds to an overall bending
moment of about 64 kN.m (45 kN.m in the diagram
plus self-weight); for this bending moment a value
of 8 MPa in the slab bottom (bottom face of GRC
lamina) is estimated;
- A sudden stiffness loss occurred for an overall
bending moment of about 100 kN.m (about
80 kN.m in the diagram);
- The maximum value of the bending moment
reached during the test was of about 223 kN.m;
- The unloading stiffness value lies between the
elastic and the post-elastic values of the loading
curve.
To perform the negative bending a suitable
supporting system was conceived (Fig.s 9 and 10)
to impose a maximum negative bending moment in
a cross-section located between the midspan and
the slab end (section S in Fig. 9).

F
S

SLAB

LAJE

F1
0,12

2,24

0,30

0,72

0,30

0,91

5,00

0,30 0,11

(m)

displacement diagram obtained in the test. The

negative bending is represented with positive
values for an easier reading. The initial phase
corresponds to the application and release of force
in the complementary jack. The values plotted in
the diagram do not include the self-weight action,
which induce a negative moment of 39 kN.m.
200.0

The force F to produce the negative bending

moment at section S was equally applied by two
hydraulic jacks mounted on the reaction frame. The
displacement was measured in two points of the
cross section with electric transducers.

Bending moment (kN.m)

Figure 9 Test setup scheme for negative bending

150.0
100.0
50.0
0.0
-5.0

5.0

15.0

25.0

35.0

45.0

-50.0
Displacement (mm)

Figure 12 Negative bending test result

Figure 10 Test setup for negative bending

A complementary hydraulic jack was used to apply

a force F1 at the free end of the cantilever (Fig. 11)
in order to release the props used in the mounting
phase.

The following points must be highlighted when

analyzing the test results:
- A sudden stiffness lost occurred for an overall
moment value of about 139 kN.m (100 kN.m in the
diagram);
- The maximum value attained was 173 kN.m
(134 kN.m in the diagram), corresponding to the
formation of cracks with significant openings, what
must be considered as the collapse occurrence;
- After that the displacement transducers were
dismounted for safety reasons and the hydraulic
jacks continued to actuate (this phase is not
represented because there was no displacement
readings) but the moment value did not increase.
With these tests, this new structural solution
showed is efficiency and viability for slabs
rehabilitation with a big advantage for seismic
rehabilitation due to its lightness.
3 GFRP-CONCRETE COMPOSITE BEAMS
3.1 Main characteristics of GFRP profiles

Figure 11 Cantilever in negative bending

The test procedure considered the monotonically

application of the negative bending moment at
section S. Fig. 12 shows the moment vs. average

Until recently, advanced composite materials were

used in structures requiring high performance
standards, such as those from the aerospace
industry. The development of the fibre reinforced
plastic industry enabled the expansion to other
markets, such as the construction industry, and they
are now used in a variety of structural engineering
applications ranging from simple beams, columns,
trusses and floor panels to lighthouse towers,

electricity pilons and complete bridges. In Portugal

it has been used in bridges mainly in non structural
elements, due to its durability advantages.
Examples of this use of GFRP profiles can be
found in the 25th April Bridge and in a railway
bridge in Oeiras.
GFRP profiles are produced by pultrusion using in
most cases E-glass fibers, coupling rovings and
mats of fibers, in a polyester or vinylester matrix
(Pecce (2001)). The benefits of GFRP profiles over
conventional materials are lightweight, high
strength to weight ratio and resistance to
environmental conditions.
In pultruded GFRP beams, the relatively low
elastic modulus may result in designs being
governed by deflection and buckling limitations,
rather than by strength limitations (Barbero et al.
(1991), Nagaraj & GangaRao (1997)). Their
relatively low ratio of shear modulus to tensile
modulus may also result in an important proportion
of shear deformation (Nagaraj & GangaRao
(1997)Roberts & Al-Ubaidi (2002)). In this
context, their use in GFRP-concrete composite
structures as a tension member may have a great
viability, mainly in the fields of structural repair
and strengthening. In fact, there are some
advantages in the connection of GFRP elements to
concrete compression slabs: increase of the flexural
stiffness, reducing the structures deformability;
increase of the structures strength capacity,
making good use of the GFRP elements
properties, simultaneously.
The experimental research presented in this section
(Branco et al (2003), Correia et al (2005)) had the
objective of studying the static behaviour of
composite
GFRP-concrete
beams.
Shear
connection tests were conducted on GFRP Iprofiles (200x10x100x10 mm) connected to
concrete elements, with stainless steel bolts. The
results of those tests were used to design and test a
simply supported beam, made with the same
GFRP-I profile connected to a concrete slab with
those shear connectors. The flexural behaviours of
the GFRP-concrete composite beam and a GFRP Iprofile beam are presented and compared, showing
the advantages of this composite system.
3.2 Shear connection tests
The purpose of this test is to quantify the shear
connection between concrete and a GFRP I-profile.
The flanges of the profile are connected to two
concrete cubes with steel bolts (shear connectors),
according to Fig. 13, and the profile is loaded in
compression until failure.

Load was applied using a 20 ton hydraulic jack that

reacted against a steel beam, supported by two
dywidag anchors (Fig. 14). Linear variable
differential transducers (LVDTs) were placed on
each corner of the steel plate in order to measure
deflections, detecting any rotation of the specimen.

Figure 13 Geometry of the test specimen: plan (top) and

section (bottom) - dimensions in mm.

Figure 14 Test setup

Load was monotonically applied (Fig. 15) until

separation occurred, due to shear failure of the
bolts (Fig. 16), at a maximum load of 157,1 kN.
Nonetheless, when defining the spacing between
shear connectors of the composite beam, a
maximum load of 120 kN (60 kN per flange) was
adopted because, for loads above this value, the
deflection increased considerably. The ovalization
of the holes (figure 16), and the high compression

stress determined for the region in front of the

bolts, suggest that bearing failure of the flanges
was imminent.

180

f1

160
140

Load (kN)

120
100
80

f2

60

40
20
0
0

3
4
Deflection (mm)

Figure 15 Load versus deflection

Figure 17 Geometry of the GRRP-concrete composite beams

section and axial extensions distribution.

The neutral axis position (Xe) is determined

considering the previous hypotheses and the fact
that it crosses the centroid of the homogenised
section. Assuming that the neutral axis lies on the
concrete slab (i.e., Xe < hc), the following
expressions can be used to compute its position and
the sections equivalent inertia (Ieq),
h

b c X e2 + 2 n A p X e 2 n A p h c + = 0
2

I eq =

Figure 16 Shear failure of the bolts and ovalization of holes

3.3 Analysis of GFRP-concrete composite beams

The elastic analysis of the GFRP-concrete section
(figure 17) assumes the validity of the following
hypotheses: Concrete has no resistance to tension
stresses; Bernoullis principle is valid; There is no
slipping between the profile and the concrete slab;
The whole width of the concrete slab is effective;
The contribution of the concrete slabs steel
reinforcement is not considered.

b c X 3e
h

+ Ip + Ap h c + Xe
3 n
2

where,
n quotient between the profiles (longitudinal, Ep)
and concretes (Ec) elastic moduli;
Ap profiles cross section;
Ip profiles inertia in the major principal axis.
In order to compute the ultimate flexural strength
of GFRP-concrete composite sections, the
following hypotheses are added to the previous
ones: The profile can be elastically loaded in
tension to a stress value of tu,x; Concretes
effective area can be loaded in compression to a
stress value of fc.
Design of the cross section is made imposing the
following additional conditions (figure 14):
Compression failure occurs on the top of the
concrete slab (c = fc), for an extension
c = 0,0035; Neutral axis in failure lies on the
concrete slab.

The first additional condition is placed because the

concretes compressive failure is a more ductile
mechanism than the tension failure of the profile.
The second condition aims a better exploitation of
the profiles mechanical properties.

c = 0,0035

c = f c

f1

f1

f2

f2

Figure 18 Axial extension and stress distributions in failure

The neutral axis position is determined imposing

the static conditions in the section, i.e., providing
that the compressive force on the concrete slab is
balanced by the tension forces on the different
elements (top flange, web and bottom flange) of the
profile:
0,8 b c f c

X e2 + (A f + A w ) X e A f ( 2 H h ) + A w H = 0
Ep c
2

Ultimate flexural strength of the composite section

is determined imposing section moment
equilibrium:

3.4 Properties of the composite beam

The GFRP I-profile was produced by pultrusion
and is made of a polyester matrix reinforced with
E-glass fibers (62% in weight). The flexural
modulus
in
the
longitudinal
direction
(Ep = 38.39 GPa) and the shear modulus
(Gp = 3,48 GPa) were determined in a full-scale
test conducted on a similar profile to the one used
in the composite beam, following a procedure
described in (Bank (1989), Mottran (1991)).
The concretes compressive average resistance was
determined testing three specimens, according to
Portuguese specification E226 (fc = 39.91 MPa).
The elastic modulus was obtained testing two
specimens, according to Portuguese specification
E397 (Ec = 36.0 GPa).
The composite beam was tested with a 4.0 m span,
under a point load at mid span. The cross-sections
dimensions (Fig.s 19 and 20) were selected based
on the previous expressions (in order to achieve the
specified conditions, particularly the concrete
compressive failure) and regarding the preferential
application of this kind of structures, namely
rehabilitation and strengthening of concrete slabs.
By those means, a slab with 100 mm height and
400 mm width was adopted.
The concrete slab was longitudinally reinforced on
the top and bottom surfaces with 26+28
(1.57 cm2) steel bars (A500) and transversally with
6//0.10 (5.65 cm2/m) shear stirrups (A500).

M u = (0,8 b c X e f c ) (0,6 X e ) + E p b1 t f b H X e h + f +
2

28+26

h
t

+ E p w t w (h 2 t f ) H X e + E p b 2 t f b H X e f
2
2

6//0,10

In a simply supported GFRP-concrete composite

beam (with a span length L), that fails in
compression, the maximum shear load between the
midspan and each one of the supports is equal to
the maximum compressive load in the concrete slab
(Fc). Considering the maximum connection load
obtained in the shear connection test (Fmax,test), the
spacing between sections with shear connectors
(af,c), necessary to provide full interaction between
the two materials (preventing slippage between the
profile and the concrete slab), can be estimated
with the following expression:
af , c =

Fmax,test
Fc
L/2

M10

M10

Figure 19 Geometry of the GFRP-concrete composite beams

section (dimensions in mm)

positions of sections S1 to S4 (Fig. 22). LVDT 1

was used in section S1 to measure deflections under
the applied load, 2 and 3 were mounted
horizontally in section S2 to verify the existence of
slipping between the two materials, and 4 and 5
were mounted in section S3 to detect an eventual
beams lateral rotation. To overcome the stress
concentration effects and complexity of stress
distribution near the load application point, strain
gauges (1 a 8) were mounted in section S4, at a
distance of 30 cm from the load application point.

Figure 20 Bolts placed on the profiles top flange

Elastic neutral axis (Xe,elastic), equivalent flexural

rigidity (EI,eq), neutral axis in failure (Xe,failure) and
flexural strength (Mu) of the composite section
were computed using expressions (1-4) and the
experimental values of the mechanical properties of
the
concrete
and
the
GFRP
profile:
Xe,elastic = 53.78 mm
(verifying
Xe < hc);
I,eq = 4639.61 kN.m2;
Xe,failure = 70.93 mm
(verifying Xe < hc); Mu = 188.49 kN.m
The shear connection test result (maximum shear
load of 60 kN for a bolted section) and the
maximum shear force (corresponding to the
resistance of the compressed region of the concrete
slab) were used to establish the connectors spacing
of 12,5 cm, using expression (5).
3.5

Bending test of a GFRP-concrete composite

beam

Each end support of the beam was mounted on a 5

cm diameter cylinder bearing placed on the top of a
metallic thick plate. Both supports allowed free
rotation and one of them allowed sliding. Small
tubular profiles were welded on each side of the
metallic plates and, without touching the composite
beam during the test, they prevented its fall by
lateral rotation after failure. Load was applied at
the midspan of the composite beam by a 30 ton
hydraulic jack in a self-straining test frame
(Fig. 21). Load was applied to the concrete slab via
8 cm wide steel spreader plate and the load was
measured by a 30 ton capacity load cell, placed
between the hydraulic jack and the test profile.
LVDTs and strain gauges were used in different

Figure 21 Self-straining test frame

S3

S1

S4

S2

7
2

3
4

3
4

5
Deflectmetro (vertical)
Displacement
(vertical)
Deflectmetro (horizontal)
Displacement
(horizontal)
Extensmetro
Strain

2
1

Figure 22 Beam instrumentation

Test occurred at 28 days and two load controlled

cycles were accomplished. In both load cycles

neither slipping between the concrete slab and the

profile (evidenced by the measures of LVDTs 2
and 3) nor significant lateral rotation (4 and 5)
occurred.
In the first cycle load was monotonically applied
until failure occurred, due to compression of the
concrete slab (Fig.s 23 and 24), at a load of
178.4 kN. After a small propagation of the failure,
the beam was unloaded. In the second cycle load
was also applied monotonically and while the
compression failure region progressed in the
beams length and height, final failure occurred
suddenly, at a load of 182.0 kN, due to interlaminar
shear of the webs profile, 1 to 2 cm above its
middle height, alongside the beams length.
Interlaminar failure was followed by delamination
and bending of the web (Fig.s 25 and 26). The
beam was now separated in two parts and the
tubular metallic profiles welded at the end supports
prevented the upper part of the beam to fall aside.

Figure 25 Compressive failure of the concrete slab and

interlaminar failure of the web with delamination and bending
second cycle

Figure 26 Lateral view of the midspan region second cycle

Figure 23 Beams deformation near failure first cycle

Fig. 27 shows the load-deflection curves of the two

load cycles. In the same figure another curve is
shown, corresponding to a bending test on a beam
built with the same GFRP I-profile. In that test,
lateral-torsional buckling was prevented and the
beam failure started with the local buckling of the
compression flange.
200
175

Load (kN)

150

Hybrid beam
first cycle

125
100

model

Hybrid beam
second cycle

75

GFRP beam

50
25
0
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Midsplan deflection (mm)

Figure 24 Compression failure of the concrete slab - first cycle

Figure 27 Load-deflection curves for the composite beam (two

load cycles) and the GFRP beam

In the first load cycle three different zones can be

distinguished. The slope change between the first
two zones, both defined by straight lines, occurs at
a load about 40 kN, and it corresponds to the loss
in rigidity due to concrete cracking. When the load
increases up to a value about 160 kN, the curve
becomes non-linear and this has to do with the
progressive loss of rigidity related with the starting
of the concrete compression failure, that occurred
at a load of 178.4 kN, very close to the predicted
value of 188.5 kN.
In the second cycle the curve is linear almost until
failure. In fact, interlaminar shear failure occurred
almost in the beginning of the non-linear part of the
curve, for a load of 182.0 kN, and it seems to have
been induced by the fact that the crushed concrete
no longer contributed to the shear resistance of the
composite section.
Comparatively with the GFRP beam, the following
structural improvements with the GFRP-concrete
composite beam can be pointed out:
-Rigidity increased about 3.5 times, when
comparing with the behaviour exhibited in the
second load cycle (cracked state);
-Flexural strength increased about 3 times;
-GFRP beam failed in local buckling, for a
longitudinal maximum stress of 269 MPa. The
composite beam failure occurred for a longitudinal
maximum stress in the GFRP profile of 386 MPa
(computed with the measurements of strain gauges
1 e 2). This increase represents profiting 40%
more of the profiles strength capacity;
-GFRP-concrete composite beams failure was
more ductile.
These tests showed the technical efficiency of this
beam-slab system for floors rehabilitation with the
associated advantage for seismic rehabilitation, due
to its lightness and high stiffness.
4 CONCLUSIONS
The following main conclusions can be drawn from
the tests performed in these two new types of slab
solutions:
-The use of composite GFRP-concrete beams and
of GRC-polyurethane pre-slabs is viable and leads
to light weight slab solutions.
-These constructive solutions are particularly well
adapted in seismic rehabilitation due to the reduced
seismic forces (less mass), high stiffness and the
ease of construction (light elements), namely when
applied to mansonry old buildings where the

weight of the old wooden floors is a paramount

factor.
5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to thank the support of
PAVICENTRO, SA for the GRC studies and the
support of STEP, Lda for the GFRP research.
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