International Institute for FRP in Construction (IIFC)
Abstract
The effectiveness of the near surface mounted (NSM) technique with carbon fibre reinforced polymer
(CFRP) laminates for the shear strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) beams has been
demonstrated during the last decade. Analytical and numerical research indicate that the NSM
technique for the shear strengthening of RC beams can be more effective if the CFRP laminates are
deeper installed into the slits. However, the depth of the slits is conditioned by the thickness of
concrete cover of the lateral faces of the beam. Furthermore, relatively deep slits can only be
executed, by maintaining an effective bond transfer length for the CFRP laminates crossing the shear
crack, if the beam’s cross section is relatively high. Therefore, an experimental program composed of
a series of RC beams of relatively high T cross section web, shear strengthened according to the NSM
technique with CFRP laminates, was carried out. The experimental program is described and the
main results are presented and discussed.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT
