Behavior of Reinforced Lightweight Concrete Slab with Initial Cracks

Abstract

The flexural behavior of lightweight concrete two-way slabs repaired or strengthened with externally bonded carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets is the subject of this study. The experiment included five reinforced lightweight concrete slab specimens with dimensions of 1000 mm in length, 1000 mm in width, and 120 mm in thickness. Tested one specimen without any strengthening and reinforced another specimen with a single layer of CFRP. The other specimens were repaired with a single layer of CFRP, applying damage ratios of 50%, 60%, or 70% of the ultimate load. Intentionally designed each slab to collapse under bending forces and maintained comparable dimensions. According to the experiment results, changing the degree of damage from 70% to 50% increases the ultimate load capacity by about 17.7%, and the ultimate deflection decreases by about 31.4%. CFRPs have the potential to fix structural damage under static stress testing conditions. However, it is essential to make sure that they stick well to surfaces that do not have suitable geometric properties or have been deformed. CFRP sheets effectively repaired the specimens, increasing the failure stress of the reinforced concrete slabs and preventing the spread of cracks.