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Flexural behaviors of GFRP-reinforced Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC)-concrete composite beams

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The replacement of steel reinforcement with Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) reinforcement addresses corrosion issues commonly associated with conventional reinforced concrete. However, the elastic modulus of FRP bars is generally lower than that of steel bars, potentially leading to excessive deformation and wider crack widths. This study proposes a hybrid approach utilizing both FRP bars and Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) to enhance structural load-bearing capacity. Seven beams reinforced with glass FRP (GFRP) bars were fabricated, comprising two concrete beams, one ECC beam, and four composite C/EC beams, to investigate the effects of reinforcement ratio, reinforcement configuration, and matrix type on the flexural behavior of the beams. The results indicated that ECC materials significantly improved the load-bearing capacity and ductility of GFRP-reinforced beams. Moreover, crack widths were substantially reduced, and crack distribution became more uniform. The deformation capacity of the beams decreased as the reinforcement ratio increased. Notably, the load-bearing capacity and deformation behavior of the hybrid-reinforced beams were comparable to those of the concrete beams. The section analysis method accurately predicted the flexural performance of GFRP-reinforced C/EC beams. A minimum GFRP reinforcement ratio of 1.84% is recommended, considering the contribution of ECC tensile strength as a safety reserve. Additionally, an optimal ECC layer-to-beam height ratio between 0.3 and 0.4 is suggested for GFRP-reinforced beams.
DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.120097
Authors: Li-Hui Wang, Wen-Hao Shi, Lan-Ping Qian, Yu-Lei Bai, Shi-Zhu Liu, Zhan-Qun Yang
Language: English
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,620
OpenAlex ID: W4408473626
FWCI: 9.36
Cites: 39
Cited by: 22
Related to: 10