Experimental study of fibre-reinforced TRC shear strengthening applications on non-stirrup reinforced concrete T-beams

Abstract

Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) materials have proven to be not only a viable solution, but also an effective one when used to strengthen Reinforced Concrete (RC) structures. The main drawbacks associated with this type of composites is mainly related to the low tensile strength of the cementitious matrix. To overcome such limitation, an improved class of such materials, named Fibre/Textile Reinforced Concrete (F/TRC) and consisting in the addition of short dispersed fibres to the cementitious matrix, was recently developed. An experimental campaign aimed at assessing and comparing of both TRC and F/TRC strengthening solutions upon the shear strength of real-scale RC beams was performed. Different parameters were investigated, including shape and number of textile layers, presence of short dispersed steel fibres, and presence of mechanical anchorages. The results show how the different parameters influence the overall behaviour of the tested specimens and highlight the strong increase in performance achievable using F/TRC materials compared to normal TRC.