FRPRCS-9 Sydney, Australia

Monday 13 Wednesday 15 July 2009

FATIGUE RESISTANCE OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS

STRENGTHENED WITH CFRP SHEETS
1

M. A. Issa
1
2
3

R. Z. Alrousan

M. A. Issa

Department of Civil and Materials Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), USA
Department of Civil Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Jordan
HBM Engineering Group, LLC, Hillside, Illinois, USA

Keywords: CFRP, Beams, Fatigue Loading, Stress Range, S -N curve s, NLFEA, Frequency, Ductility

1 INTRODUCTION
Fatigue is a process of progressive, permanent, and internal structural change in a material
subjected to repetitive stresses. Bridge beams may experience high-cycle of traffic loading and may
fail after going through many cycles of tensile stresses. A number of research studies have been
conducted to evaluate this important behaviour. However, the authors believe that more research
studies on the fatigue behaviour of CFRP-strengthened beams are required to establish the various
parameters involved and to enrich the available database. The difficulty and cost of conducting fatigue
tests on CFRP-strengthened beams are the main reasons for the relatively few studies in this field
(Papakonstantinou et al. 2001, Naaman 1999, Barnes and Mays 1999, Brena et al. 2002, Senthilnath
et al. 2001, Aidoo et al. 2001, Rosenboom et al. 2006). Deteriorated reinforced concrete beams need
strengthening to withstand their integrity with acceptable margin of safety under the applied
mechanical fatigue loading that is constantly increasing in terms of weight and frequency.
Strengthening these beams using CFRP proved to provide effective improvements in the flexural and
shear behaviours of CFRP-strengthened beams when the CFRP-strengthening is applied correctly
(Meier et al. 1992, Shahawy and Beitelman 1999).
This composite material is thin and flexible and has exceptional properties such as low weight,
high strength, high corrosion resistance, and can be installed quickly and easily. The basic properties
of carbon fiber such as creep and shrinkage, compressive and tensile strengths, and flexural
behaviour are well documented. However, these characteristics of CFRP itself are not sufficient to
predict the useful life remaining for a strengthened member. Of particular interest is the fatigue
performance of CFRP-strengthened members.

2 EXPERIMENTAL STUDY
The study included the cast and externally strengthening of nine RC beams with different
configurations of CFRP sheets. The length of all specimens was 2340 mm (8 ft) with a cross section of
150 by 230 mm (6 in. x 9 in.). The beams were reinforced with 3#4 bars at the bottom, 2#2 bars at the
top, and #2 stirrups spaced at 75 mm (3 in.) on centers. The different configurations of CFRP sheets
include one layer, 150 mm (6 in.) in width, one layer of two identical strips, 100 mm (4 in.) total width,
and two layers of two strips, 200 mm (8 in.) total width. The beams strengthened with one layer and
two layers of CFRP strips had a contact width of 100 mm (4 in.) with the concrete, whereas the beams
strengthened with one layer of CFRP sheet had a contact width of 150 mm (6 in.) with the concrete.
Figure 1 shows the geometric and reinforcement details as well as the loading setup and
instrumentation.
2.1 Materials properties
All beams were made from the same batch of concrete. The concrete mixture used in the
/
fabrication of all specimens had a 28-day concrete compressive strength (f c) of 55 MPa (8000 psi).
The yield stress of the longitudinal and spiral steel reinforcements was 410 MPa (60 ksi). The carbon
fiber used is unidirectional in the form of tow sheet, manufactured in wide strips with a tensile strength
of 3800 MPa (550 ksi) and an elastic modulus of 230 GPa (33000 ksi). The carbon fiber products
come in 500 mm (20") wide rolls of continuous fiber that can be cut into the appropriate lengths.

FRPRCS-9 Sydney, Australia

Monday 13 Wednesday 15 July 2009

Fig. 1 Test setup and instrumentation.

2.2 Test Setup and Instrumentation

The beams were tested in a four-point bending configuration with a simply supported span of 2290
mm (7.5 ft) as shown in Figure 1. Three control beams, strengthened with one layer, 150 mm (6 in.)
width sheet of CFRP, were tested to failure without applying fatigue loading. For the fatigue tests, the
specimens were initially loaded beyond the cracking load up to the maximum level of the associated
fatigue loading range before starting the fatigue loading cycles. After various intervals of 0.01, 0.1,
0.25, and 0.25 million cycles thereafter, the fatigue loading was interrupted to test the static response
of the beams up to 0.90fy in order to monitor the damage accumulation and its effect on the deflection
and strain measurements. The fatigue loading on beams was ceased when the specimen failed or
after 2.0 million cycles (two beams after 4.0 million cycles). At the end of fatigue cycles, the beams
were statically tested to failure.
Three strain gages were attached directly to the top and bottom of the concrete beams in order to
measure the compressive and tensile strains and the strain at the level of the bottom steel
reinforcement. The mid-span deflections were measured using a deflection digital indicator placed
under the mid-span of the specimen as shown in Figure 1.
Two fatigue-loading frequencies of 1 Hz and 4 Hz were used to demonstrate the difference in the
responses of two identical beams under different fatigue loading rates. The following loading ranges
were applied: 17.8-26.7 kN (4.0-6.0 kip), 37.4-56.0 kN (8.4-12.6 kip), 56.0-74.7 kN (12.6-16.8 kip), and
37.4-74.7 kN (8.4-16.8 kip). They correspond to stress ranges of 0.25fy 0.35fy, 0.45fy 0.65fy, 0.65fy
0.90fy, and 0.45fy 0.90fy, respectively.

EXPERIMENTAL TEST RESULTS

3.1 Failure Mode

The control beams failed through the yielding of steel reinforcement followed by partial rupture of
CFRP sheets, eventually progressed towards the end support, and finally by the crushing of concrete
in the compression zone. The average ultimate load for the three control beams was 102.3 kN (23
kip). All the fatigued specimens survived 2.0 million cycles (two beams reached 4.0 million cycles),
except Beam No. 5 that was failed abruptly during fatigue loading after 1.115 million cycles due to the
rupture of the tension steel. Afterwards, the survived beams were tested to failure. The observed
failure mode for all beams was identical to the failure mode of the control specimens. The first flexural
crack initiated during the first static loading, and more cracks initiated and propagated as the number
of the applied fatigue cycles increased. Figure 2 shows a typical failure mode for the control and
fatigued beams.

FRPRCS-9 Sydney, Australia

Monday 13 Wednesday 15 July 2009

Fig. 2 Typical mode of failure of the fatigued beams.

3.2 Ultimate Load Capacity
Beam No. 1 was strengthened with one layer of CFRP sheet, 150 mm (6 in.) in width, and
subjected to 2.0 million cycles of a sinusoidal stress range of 0.25fy 0.35fy. Beam No. 2 is identical to
Beam No.1, but tested for two stress ranges of 0.45fy 0.65fy and 0.65fy 0.90fy with 2.0 million cycles
per each with a frequency of 4 Hz. After completing the fatigue loading cycles, Beams No. 1 and 2
were statically tested to failure and the ultimate loads of 100 kN (22.5 kip) and 106 kN (23.8 kip),
respectively. The slight difference in the ultimate load capacity indicates that applying 2.0 million
fatigue loading cycles in the stress ranges of 0.25fy 0.35fy, 0.45fy 0.65fy, and 0.65fy 0.90fy has a
significant effect on the ultimate load capacity of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with one
layer of CFRP sheet on the tension face.
Beam No. 3 is identical to Beams No.1 and 2, and was subjected to loading range as in Beam
No.2, but with a lower frequency of 1 Hz. With a frequency of 1 Hz, the 2-million cycles test took about
25 days to complete. The beam did not fail after 2.0 million cycles. Afterwards, the beam was tested
under static loading to failure. The beam failed at an ultimate load of 95 kN (21.4 kip), which is very
close to the average ultimate load of the control beams and the ultimate loads of Beams No. 1 and 2.
The slight difference in the ultimate load between Beams No. 2 and 3 indicate that there was no
significant difference in applying fatigue loading in the range of 1 to 4 Hz. Based on this conclusion,
the remaining beams tested with a frequency of 4 Hz. Once more, the results of this beam confirmed
that fatigue loading in the stress range of 0.65fy 0.90fy has more effect on the ultimate load capacity
of the strengthened beams.
Beam No. 4 was strengthened with one layer composed of two CFRP strips; each strip is 50 mm
(2 in.) in width. The beam was subjected to two loading stress ranges of 0.65fy 0.90fy and 0.45fy
0.90fy with 2.0 million cycles each. After 4.0 million cycles, the beam was tested to failure under static
loading. The beam failed at an ultimate load of 87.2 kN (19.6 kip), which is lower than the average
ultimate load of the control beams. In fact, the lower ultimate load for this beam in comparison with
other beams was not due to higher range of fatigue loading, but to the use of less contact width of
CFRP with the concrete. Therefore, the results of this beam confirm that fatigue loading in the stress
range of and 0.45fy 0.90fy has minor effect on the ultimate strength of RC beams strengthened with
CFRP sheets.
Beam No. 5 was strengthened with two layers composed of four CFRP strips, each 50 mm (2 in.)
in width. The contact width of CFRP strips with concrete is 100 mm (4 in.). The applied fatigue loading
range was similar to Beam No. 4. Failure of this beam occurred abruptly after 1,115,000 cycles during
fatigue loading with the fracture of one of the tensile steel bars and the debonding of the CFRP sheets
in a combination of peeling fashion. This failure does not represent the expected failure when
compared with Beam No. 4. This might be due to some kind of machine misbehavior during testing.
3.3 Permanent Deflections
Figure 3 shows the effect of the stress range on the mid-span permanent deflections. Inspection
of Figure 3 reveals that the stress range have a significant effect on the permanent deflection at midspan and is more pronounced at a stress range of 0.45fy 0.90fy. After 2 million cycles, the stress
range of 0.45fy 0.65fy resulted in a mid-span permanent deflection of approximately 2.65 times with
respect to the stress range of 0.25fy 0.35fy. However, the stress ranges of 0.65fy 0.90fy, and 0.45fy
0.90fy resulted in an increase in mid-span permanent deflection of approximately 3.20 and 3.95 times
the mid-span permanent deflection with respect to the stress range of 0.25fy 0.35fy, respectively.

FRPRCS-9 Sydney, Australia

Monday 13 Wednesday 15 July 2009

Beam No. 5

Beam No. 4

0.15

Beam No. 2
Beam No. 3

Note : 9.8 mm (0.39") midspan

permanent deflection after 4
million cycles in beam No. 4.
This could be an indication
for sudden fatigue failure

0
0.0

Beam No. 1
0.5

1.0

1.5

0.10

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

0.05

Midspan permanent deflection, in

Midspan permanent deflection, mm

0.00
4.5

6
Number of Cycles (x 10 )

Fig. 3 Mid-span permanent deflection vs. number of fatigue cycles.

4 CONCLUSIONS
The following conclusions can be drawn from the experimental test results:
The stress ranges show a noticeable effect on the ultimate strength, stiffness, and mid-span
permanent deflection as well as failure mode of the strengthened RC beams and was more
noticeable in the fatigue stress range of 0.45fy 0.90fy.
There was no significant difference in applying low frequency of fatigue cycles of 1 Hz since
the ultimate load capacity and the mode of failure of the strengthened RC beams were not
significantly affected by using frequencies in the range of 1 to 4 Hz.
Cyclic fatigue loading causes a time-dependent redistribution of the stresses, which leads to
sudden drop in concrete stress and a mild increase in steel and CFRP sheet stresses as
fatigue life is exhausted.

REFERENCES
[1]
[2]
[3]

[4]
[5]
[6]

Barnes, R. and Mays, G, Fatigue performance of concrete beams strengthened with CFRP
plates. ASCE Journal of Composites for Construction, 3, 2, 1999, pp 63-72.
Brena, S.F., Wood, S.L., and Kreger, M.L., Fatigue tests of reinforced concrete beams
strengthened using carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites. Proceedings of the 2nd
International Conference on Durability of Fiber Reinforced, 2002.
Meier, U., Deuring, M., Meier, H., and Shwegler, G, Strengthening of structures with CFRP
laminates: research and applications in Switzerland. Proceedings of Conference on Advanced
Composite Materials in Bridges and Structures, 1st International Conference, Sherbrooke,
Quebec, 1992, pp 243 -251.
Naaman A, Repair and strengthening of reinforced concrete beams using CFRP laminates.
University of Michigan Report No. UMCEE-99-44, 1999.
Shahawy, M. and Beitelman, T. E, "Static and Fatigue Performance of RC Beams
Strengthened with CFRP Laminates", Report, Structural Research Center, Florida Department
of Transportation, 2007 East Dirac Drive, Tallahassee, Florida, FL 32310, 2000.
Shahawy, M. and Beitelman, T.E, Static and fatigue performance of RC beams strengthened
with CFRP laminates. Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE, 125, 6, 1999, pp 613-621.