Published on: June 2026
“COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF EXTERNALLY BONDED AND UNBONDED GFRP COMPOSITES FOR STRENGTHENING CONTINUOUS RC BEAMS”
Santosh
Prof. Ashish shrivas
Article Status
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Abstract
Although continuous reinforced concrete (RC) beams are extensively used in engineering structures, limited research has been conducted on their strengthening using FRP composites. Therefore, this study presents an experimental investigation of the structural behavior of continuous RC beams subjected to static loading conditions.
The strengthening methods examined include externally bonded Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) sheets and unbonded GFRP sheets anchored with a steel-bolt end anchorage system. Six two-span continuous RC beams with dimensions of 150 mm × 250 mm × 2300 mm were tested. All specimens were designed with identical longitudinal and transverse reinforcement details. One beam was left unstrengthened as a control specimen, while the remaining beams were strengthened using different arrangements of bonded GFRP sheets and unbonded GFRP sheets with mechanical anchorage.
The experimental program focused on evaluating the structural performance of the strengthened beams in terms of failure characteristics, load-carrying capacity, and load-deflection response. The results demonstrated that externally bonded GFRP sheets applied to the shear zones significantly improved the shear resistance of the RC beams. In addition, unbonded GFRP sheets with end anchorage enhanced crack control performance by postponing the initiation of visible cracks and reducing crack widths under increased loading levels.
Keywords: Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP), Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP), Structural Strengthening, Load-Deflection Behavior, Shear Strength, Crack Control, Corrosion Resistance.
How to Cite this Paper
Santosh, (2026). “Comparative Evaluation of Externally Bonded and Unbonded GFRP Composites for Strengthening Continuous RC Beams”. International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management, <i>02</i>(6). https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i6.357
Santosh, . "“Comparative Evaluation of Externally Bonded and Unbonded GFRP Composites for Strengthening Continuous RC Beams”." International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management, vol. 02, no. 6, 2026, pp. . doi:https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i6.357.
Santosh, . "“Comparative Evaluation of Externally Bonded and Unbonded GFRP Composites for Strengthening Continuous RC Beams”." International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management 02, no. 6 (2026). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55041/ijcope.v2i6.357.
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- •Published on: Jun 27 2026
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