Flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beam using a natural fibre reinforced polymer laminate: an experimental an
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beam using a natural fibre reinforced polymer laminate: an experimental and numerical study Chinyere Olufemi Nwankwo
. Anthony Nkem Ede
Received: 30 May 2020 / Accepted: 28 October 2020 RILEM 2020
Abstract Synthetic fibres like carbon and glass fibres are commonly used as reinforcing material in polymer composites used by the construction industry to retrofit reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Natural fibres can be developed as a more sustainable alternative to these synthetic fibres in polymer composites. In this study, a kenaf fibre reinforced polymer (KFRP) laminate was designed and fabricated to strengthen an RC beam in flexure. Four-point bending test was carried out on a full-scale control and KFRP-strengthened beam. The beams were also modelled numerically with the ANSYS finite element software. The kenaf fibre laminate increased the ultimate load of the RC beam by 77.9% and reduced beam deflections at similar loads with the control beam. The results from the numerical analysis in terms of the beams load– deflection response, ultimate load and crack plots compared well with the experimental investigation. This study provided further insight into the design and use of a more sustainable material for strengthening RC beams and shows how numerical analysis can enhance the development of emerging materials. Keywords Natural FRP Reinforced concrete Kenaf fibre Flexural strengthening Finite element analysis Rule of mixture C. O. Nwankwo (&) A. N. Ede Department of Civil Engineering, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria e-mail: [email protected]
1 Introduction The integrity of RC structures overtime is compromised due to ageing, steel reinforcement corrosion and overloading amongst other factors and these usually lead to high-cost rehabilitation [1]. In trying to retain the structural frame, fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets have been externally bonded to the surface of structural members enhancing their stiffness and strength. Externally bonded FRP sheets have been the preferred method of retrofitting RC structures in recent years because of their high strength to weight ratio, ease of handling, corrosion resistance and minimal installation equipment requirement [2–4]. The typical FRP material is a composite of synthetic fibres impregnated in a petroleum-based plastic (polymers). This composite system combines the high strength of fibres with the bonding properties of polymers resulting in an engineering composite [5]. Unsustainable consumption of petroleum, increase in environmental consciousness and current environmental regulations have motivated the study and development of more environmentally friendly materials [6]. The ideal sustainable FRP material is a biocomposite; a composite of natural fibres and biodegradable bio-based polymers also known as bioplastics. Bioplastics are crop-derived renewable resources with examples such as cellulose plastics, pol
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