Strengthening flat slabs using carbon fibers sheets (CFRP)

This research presents a numerical study for strengthening flat slab using Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), through introducing a nonlinear finite element model developed from ABAQUS finite element program. To verifying the validity of ABAQUS program, a model tested by Harajli and Soudki (2003) is investigated. By Comparing the results obtained from four slabs ( strengthen with CFRP sheets or without) prepared and experimentally tested by Harajli and Soudki (2003) with those obtained from the ABAQUS program, revealed good agreement in representing both the flat slab without strengthening and flat slab with strengthening by CFRP sheets.The study program of this thesis includes thirty six square flat slabs (3000 mm × 3000 mm) at interior column connection externally bonded with CFRP sheets or plates . Variables considered are two different slab thicknesses (150 mm and 200 mm), four reinforcement ratios (0.2%, 0.27 %, 1 % and 2 %) and type CFRP with different properties and width. These slabs are divided into four groups, each group consists of nine slabs, one is kept as a control without strengthening, and the other eight slabs are externally bonded by various Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer sheets or plates with different properties and width.As extended to some practical example a flat slabs at internal column connection were modeled the first model was 3000 mm × 3000 mm in plane and the second model was 6000 mm × 6000 mm in plane and the two models with slab thicknesses 150 mm and reinforcement ratio 1%