Influence of End Anchorage on Shear Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Beams Using CFRP Composites

The article presents an experimental study on the influence of various end anchorage systems on the shear strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) T-beams using externally bonded fibre reinforced polymer (EB-FRP) composites. Two different end anchorage techniques namely self-end anchorage (SEA) and sandwich anchorage (SWA) were used. This study mainly focussed on evaluating the effectiveness of these anchorages to eliminate the conventional fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) debonding failure. A total of twelve R.C. T-beams with different strengthening techniques using CFRP including control beams were used. The test results show improved shear strength and better energy dissipation over conventional technique; this authenticates the influence of end anchorage and its effectiveness in improving shear resistance. Also, the enhanced FRP strain at failure proves that the anchorage employed improves the efficacy of FRP strengthening in terms of ductility and damage tolerance.