Flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with a hybrid inorganic matrix - steel fiber retrofit system

The aim of this study was to investigate the flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with a novel strengthening system. Concrete beams were strengthened with a hybrid retrofit system consisting of high strength steel cords impregnated in an inorganic fireproof matrix (Geopolymer). The strengthened reinforced concrete beams along with non-strengthened control beams were tested monotonically under four point bending loading conditions. Moreover, an analytical model is introduced, that can be used to analyze the flexural performance of the strengthened beams. The experimental results indicate that the failure of the strengthened beams was based on the yielding of the reinforcement in the tension face of the beams, followed by a local slippage of the steel cords. The flexural stiffness of the strengthened beams was significantly improved compared to the stiffness of the non-strengthened beams. In conclusion, the strengthening system can provide an effective alternative to commercially available systems.