National Conference on Computer Aided Analysis and Design of Structures (CAADS-2016) Paper ID: CAD35

A Review Paper on
Analysis for FRP Composite Beams using Finite Element Method

Sachin M. Kulkarni Dr. Vishwananth K. G.

Department of Civil Engineering, Principal and Director,
Jain College of Engineering, Jain College of Engineering,
Belagavi-Karnataka, India Belagavi-Karnataka, India
E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract Advances in finite element methods and successfully for nonlinear finite element analysis of RC
analysis of strengthened reinforced concrete beams using structures including FRP composite concrete beams.
fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) are reviewed in this paper
with reference to numerical analysis and modeling of fiber
II. ANALYSIS OF FRP CONCRETE BEAMS
reinforced polymer (FRP) composite concrete beams. The
possibilities of future research on finite element analysis of Concrete beams are modeled as a 3D beam element, with
FRP strengthened RCC beams are also presented. reinforcement modeled as truss element. For an effective and
accurate finite element analysis, a geometric model is used to
This review is required to have better understanding of
model the FRP composite beams reinforced/strengthened for
stress distribution on concrete matrix due to strengthening
concrete beams. De-bonding failure play significant roles in
with FRP elements. This will also help in understanding
making the analysis more practical. Material models are used
the various strains occurring on different elements. These
to model the nonlinear material characteristics of concrete,
parameters help in limiting stresses within permissible concrete cracking and tension stiffening effects, and a bond-
limits. slip for de-bonding between FRP and concrete.
Keywords Finite Element Modeling of RCC Beam,
Strengthening with FRP A. GEOMETRIC MODELS
Various FEM-based geometric models have been proposed for
I. INTRODUCTION finite element analysis and modeling of the behavior of FRP
Numerous experimental studies and field applications proved reinforced/strengthened RC beams, and generally they can be
that the application of FRPs (typically glass FRPs and carbon classified as 1-D models, 2-D models, 3-D models and layered
FRPs) as internal reinforcements or external strengthening is shell models. In the layered shell models, the concrete is
effective to improve the structural durability and performance modeled by a series of layers and the rebar is usually treated
of concrete structures. In particular, the FRP strengthening as an smeared equivalent layer with stiffness only in the bar
technique by bonding FRP plate to the tension regions of direction (Ebead & Marzouk 2005)7, (Ferreira et al. 2001)9,
concrete structures is proving to be very competitive with (Nitereka & Neale 1999)25, (Takahashi et al.1997)32,( Zhang &
regard to both structural performance and costs (Godat et al. Zhu 2010)38. Perfect bonding is usually assumed in the layered
2007)10. finite element model. In the 1-D models, both the concrete and
rebar and FRP sheet is modeled by a unified 1-D element
Experimental tests on FRP strengthened beams have identified (Faella et al.2008)7. In the 2-D and 3-D models (Hoque et al.
a number of possible modes of failure including tensile rupture 2007)13, the rebar is usually modeled by one dimensional bar
of the composite laminate, de-bonding failure between the elements or truss element, the concrete is modeled by 2-D
FRP laminate and the concrete substrate, concrete cover plane elements or 3-D solid elements, and the FRP sheet is
failure, and concrete crushing (ACI 2002). usually modeled as plane element or shell element. To model
To accurately predict the ultimate load carrying capacities and de-bonding behavior, the interface between FRP and concrete
observe the de-bonding failures, it is essential to understand is usually modeled using nonlinear spring elements.
the mechanics of bond and interfacial failure behavior
between FRP and concrete. Thus a large number of researches B. MATERIAL MODELS
on finite element modeling of FRP concrete beam are To simulate the real response and the failure mechanisms of
concentrated on the model development of de-bonding and the the FRP concrete beam, it is important to accurately model the
interface behavior between the FRP and concrete. Some crack propagation behavior in concrete, the bondslip
papers assume perfect bonding between FRP and concrete. relationships between reinforcing bar and concrete and
Most of studies on FRP composite beams were carried out by interfacial bond behavior of FRPconcrete interface in
experimental investigations due to the complexity of addition to the constitutive behaviors of concrete, steel, and
numerical modeling of concrete structures. FRP sheets. In most of the finite element analysis, the rein-
Finite element method is one of the most versatile and forcing steel is treated as a linear elasticperfectly plastic
powerful numerical modeling tools and have been employed material. The FRP sheets and the rebar are assumed to be
linear elastic. Various nonlinear constitutive models were used

Department of Civil Engineering, SDMCET, Dharwad-580002

 National Conference on Computer Aided Analysis and Design of Structures (CAADS-2016) Paper ID: CAD35
to model the material characteristics of concrete. Concrete bonding of FRP-strengthened concrete beams is assumed as
cracking and propagation of cracks are important aspects of perfect bonding between the concrete and FRP plate under
concrete behavior that considerably affects the overall fatigue load which was investigated by( Zhang and Shi
response of concrete structures. Generally, two approaches 2008)37.
have been employed to model the concrete cracking, i.e.
smeared crack approach and discrete crack approach. For a E. FRP STRENGTHENED RC BEAMS WITH DE-
rational and accurate analysis of concrete structures, it is often BONDING
important to also include the post-cracking resistance of
(Arduini et al. 1997)2 examined the nonlinear behavior and
concrete, thus an accurate tension stiffening model for FRP
early concrete cover de-lamination and end plate failure of
reinforced/strengthened concrete, such as the model developed
FRP strengthened RC concrete beams using a smeared crack
by (Nayal et al. 2006)22, should also be included.
model for concrete. A 3-D elasto-plastic finite element
analysis method was developed to simulate the load-carrying
C. BOND-SLIP MODELS capacity of RC beams failed in the FRP sheet peel off mode
For accurate numerical modeling of the de-bonding between (Kishi et al. 2005)15. The nonlinear behavior of FRP-
FRP and concrete, an efficient mechanical characterization is strengthened beams was examined using the smeared crack
required to model the adhesive between FRP to concrete. model for concrete, and the mixed mode of failure due to the
Accurate and effective bond-slip models have been developed combined shear and concrete cover de-lamination was
such as the bi-linear shear stresses-slip relationship addressed through modeling end plate and shear crack
(Holzenkaempfer 1994)12 and the accurate bond-slip models discontinuities using the discrete crack approach (Peic &
based on the predictions of a meso-scale finite element model Pilakoutas, 2003)27. Using a discrete crack model for concrete
Lu et al. (2007)21 crack propagation and a bilinear bond-slip relationship with
softening behavior is used to represent FRP-concrete
III. FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS FOR FRP REINFORCED interfacial behavior. (Niu and Wu 2005)25 performed a
CONCRETE BEAMS nonlinear fracture mechanics-based finite element analysis to
investigate the effects of crack spacing and interfacial
The deflections and stresses in concrete and rebars of perfectly parameters such as stiffness, local bond strength, and fracture
bonded FRP reinforced concrete beams was predicted by a energy on the initiation and propagation of the de-bonding. A
geometric and material nonlinear finite element analysis using 2-D frame finite element was presented by (Barbato 2009)4 to
a layered discretization of the laminate materials (Ferreira et estimate the load- carrying capacity of FRP strengthened RC
beams. (Wang and Zhang 2008)33 examined the de-bonding
al. 2001)8. The bond behaviour of FRP rebars with concrete
between the FRP plate and concrete using linear elastic Euler-
was investigated by (Achillides and Pilakoutas 2006)1 by
Bernoullis beam and a bilinear law for the modeling of the
modelling the concrete using 4-node plane square elements, nonlinear bond-slip behavior. (Baky et al. 2007)3 used 2-D and
FRP bars using 2-noded square bar elements, and the interface 3-D models to simulate the FRP strengthened RC beams. In
between concrete and FRP bars using nonlinear spring addition, (Neale et al. 2006)23 investigated the load-
elements. Some simply supported carbon FRP deformation behavior and de-bonding phenomenon of FRP
reinforced/strengthened concrete beams are modeled using a strengthened concrete beams and slabs. Great efforts have
non-linear finite element model which is analysed with the been made to model the interactive behavior between concrete
help of 2D isoparametric plane stress elements, in which the and FRP. (Qiao and Chen 2008)28 used a bilinear model
concete crack was considered as an orthotropic material and cohesive zone model to simulate the nonlinear cohesive
the crack formation is simulated as smeared cracks (Rafi et al. fracture behavior of the FRPconcrete bonded interfaces in a
2007)29. The nonlinear response of concrete structures three-point bending beam. (Li et al. 2009)19 analyzed the
reinforced with internal and external FRPs was studied by interfacial stresses between the concrete and the FRP of RC
using a refined 3-D hypoelastic constitutive model for the beams strengthened with hybrid carbon fibers and glass fibers
nonlinear behavior of concrete (Nour et al. 2007) 26. The and the de-bonding process of the FRP sheets. (Yang et al.
reinforcing bar-concrete interaction was simulated implicitly 2004)35 studied the interfacial stress distribution and evaluated
using tension-stiffening factors modified according to the the effect of the structural parameters on the interfacial
behavior in FRP-reinforced concrete hybrid beams.
nature of reinforcement. Intermediate crack de-bonding was simulated by a finite-
element model based on the smeared crack approach for
D. FRP STRENGTHENED RC BEAMS WITH PERFECT
concrete by (Lu et al. 2007)21. (Leung et al. 2006)18
BONDING
determined the nonlinear softening behavior at FRP
(Hu et al.2004)14 used 27-node solid elements to model the composite/concrete interface. In addition interfacial stresses in
reinforced concrete beams, while FRPs were modeled by structural members bonded with a thin plate were predicted by
using 8-node shell elements. A fictitious crack approach was (Zhang and Teng 2010)38.
adopted by (Wu and Davies 2003)34 to estimate the equivalent
bridge effect of the fracture process zone of concrete for a
beam subjected to three-point bending and externally
reinforced with unidirectional FRP plate near the bottom
surface of the tensile zone. The rebar/concrete interface de-

Department of Civil Engineering, SDMCET, Dharwad-580002

 National Conference on Computer Aided Analysis and Design of Structures (CAADS-2016) Paper ID: CAD35
7) Long term structural performance under environmental
F. GOVERNING EQUATION FOR THE VALIDATION OF effects, such as moisture, cycling temperature.
EXPERIMENTAL AND ANALYTICAL MODELS
FRPs are susceptible to deterioration under various static and 8) Structural performance under cyclic and dynamic loading .
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Department of Civil Engineering, SDMCET, Dharwad-580002

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Department of Civil Engineering, SDMCET, Dharwad-580002