Behavior of RC Beams with Openings Strengthened with CFRP Laminates

Creating a new opening in the shear zone of casted reinforced concrete beams is one of the critical issues during construction due to building safety and cost impact. Moreover, coordination process is a difficult stage that always lead to major impact on project schedule. To investigate the problem of rectangular openings in beams, all beams are studied as simple beams subjected to eight equidistant concentrated loads. Third large scale beam specimens with different opening location will be presented in this research. The author presents an analytical study on the behavior of RC beams with openings strengthened with CFRP laminates, in order to predict their behavior before and after strengthening. The opening location, cross section shape (rectangular – L-section), number of CFRP layers and compressive strength of concrete are the main parameters that are considered in this research. The current study is carried out using Finite Element Method on software package (ANSYS 15.0). Verification models are simulated at first and compared with similar beams tested experimentally in previous research in order to validate their results, then the parameters mentioned above are analytically studied. The maximum capacity for each beam is obtained after loading them up to failure, then the corresponding displacements are recorded. Moreover, Modes of failure, crack patterns and the relationship between loads and displacements are obtained. Furthermore, the author studies the suitable way to reach the cheapest technical solution in case the opening will be required during design stage or it will be created after casting stage.