CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS

There are a lot of studies focused on behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) slabs under static and dynamic loadings in the literature. However, investigations related to Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strengthened RC slabs subjected to impact load are still relatively rare. Consequently, an experimental study was performed in order to determine impact behaviour of two way simply supported RC slabs strengthened with CFRP strips. The arrangement and width of CFRP strips were varied in an experimental study. The impact load was applied to slabs using moveable drop-weight test machine designed by the authors. A total of nine RC slabs that were 1000 x 1000 x 80 mm dimensions were manufactured. RC slabs were strengthened using CFRP strips with a width of 50 and 100 mm as orthogonally and diagonally in both one and two directions. One of the specimens was un-strengthened and manufactured as reference specimens. The time-history of the impact force, the accelerations of two points, the center displacement of slabs and the strains of four points on CFRP strips were measured. The crack patterns of slabs are also observed. In the light of experimental results, the effects of applied strengthening method on low-velocity impact behaviour of RC slabs were determined and interpreted. Besides, the finite element models of RC slabs strengthened with CFRP strips are generated using ABAQUS software. It is found out that the proposed finite element model could be used for evaluation of dynamic responses of RC slabs strengthened with CFRP strips subjected to low-velocity impact load. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved