Finite Element Investigation of the Influence of FRP on RC Beams with Structural Openings
摘要
In current times, the mixing of essential services like sewage, communication cables, and water supply often necessitates the use of pipes and ducts, which could significantly lessen a shape’s clean height. To maintain aesthetics, incorporating openings in beams turns into a practical option, which could compromise the beam’s structural integrity, leading to issues including cracking, excessive deflection, and reduced stiffness. Addressing this venture includes employing fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets like carbon fiber-strengthened polymer (CFRP), glass fiber-strengthened polymer (GFRP), or basalt fiber-strengthened polymer (BFRP) to retrofit and enhance the region surrounding those openings in concrete structures. This technique gives numerous advantages over conventional strategies due to its lightweight nature, high power, resistance to corrosion, fatigue resistance, ease of installation, and minimal alteration to the structural geometry. This research focuses on analyzing the shear behavior of numerous beam openings regarding their shapes, sizes, and the application of FRP retrofitting, aiming to offer insights into improving beam overall performance while also accommodating necessary service installations.