Stiffness estimation and damage detection of fibre reinforced polymer strengthened reinforced concrete beams using a vibration-based method
- Publication Type:
- Conference Proceeding
- Citation:
- 4th Australasian Congress on Applied Mechanics, ACAM 2005, 2005, pp. 663 - 669
- Issue Date:
- 2005-12-01
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Reinforced concrete (RC) structural elements can be strengthened by bonding high-strength, noncorrosive fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites to their surfaces. In the majority of strengthening situations the existing structure would have been subjected to extreme loading at some stage of its life. It is of great interest to designers and users of structures to be aware of the condition of the structural elements, particularly with regards to damage, prior to the design and application of FRP strengthening measures. This paper reports the results of a vibration-based method for assessing damage in RC beams prior to and after the application of FRP strengthening. The vibration-based method measures the vibrations of beams with and without additional mass and provides an assessment of the degree of damage as well as stiffness of the structural element. A simply supported RC beam was constructed and initially damaged by loading to 50% of its flexural capacity. FRP strengthening was then applied and the beam tested to failure. Vibration measurements were taken prior to and after damage of the plain beam as well as after application of the FRP strengthening. The proposed method was used for detecting damage and evaluating the repair as well as quantitatively estimating in-service stiffness of the beams. Good correlation between dynamic results and static load test results is found, thus demonstrating the potential of the vibration-based method. © Institute of Materials Engineering Australasia Ltd 2005.
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