Optimizing Flexural Performance of Slender Reinforced Concrete Beams with Different Combinations of GFRP and Fabric or Grid Reinforcement: An Experimental Study
摘要
Corrosion of steel reinforcement is one of the main degradation mechanisms in reinforced concrete structures, negatively affecting their durability and performance. In this context, non-metallic reinforcements, especially those made of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP), have emerged as a viable solution, offering high corrosion resistance, low weight, and a good strength-to-weight ratio. Despite some limitations in structural detailing—such as the inability to bend after fabrication, lack of yield capacity and the brittle failure. —FRP allows the design of lighter and more durable elements, with lower maintenance demands. Recent studies highlight the potential mechanical performance of FRP-reinforced concrete, including the use of bars combined with open-mesh fabrics or grid in optimized sections, where in this study specifically, they will be adopted especially as stirrups with the main purpose of allowing greater deformations and avoiding premature failures in the concrete. Considering the advances in research, the development and implementation of these technologies represent a promising path towards more efficient and sustainable structures in civil engineering. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the best configuration of hybrid reinforcements, i.e., the combination of Glass-FRP bars and fabrics or grid, in I-section beams, with a single geometry and reinforcement ratio, aiming at the reduction and optimization of the section and material consumption through the experimental analysis of the bending behavior of the beams, contributing to the sector’s technical and sustainable advancement.