Analysis of the use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer bars to reinforce concrete beams

Resumo

The aim of the present work is to analyze the use of bars made of composite material to act as
reinforcement for concrete beams subjected to bending. The analyzed bars are constituted by polymer reinforced
with carbon fibers (CFRP), a material that presents linear elastic behavior until rupture. This material has some
advantages in relation to steel, such as considerably higher tensile strength in addition to not being susceptible to
corrosion caused by environmental conditions. During the development of the work, an article was obtained which
demonstrates results of laboratory tests in which the authors used concrete beams subjected to four-point flexure
testing and reinforced with PRFC bars. In this work, the same test was simulated using the Atena software, a
computer program that performs non-linear analysis for concrete structures, considering the structural cracking.
The results obtained by the software were consistent with those obtained in the laboratory. The flexural
reinforcement design was performed for a section of concrete beam reinforced with steel and another with CFRP,
in addition to having also analyzed a uniformly distributed load that breaks a continuous beam when it is reinforced
with steel bars and when it is reinforced with CFRP bars.