• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.559-576
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• 2014

A new mathematical model and its finite element formulation for the non-linear stress-strain analysis of a planar beam strengthened with plates bolted or adhesively bonded to its lateral sides is presented. The connection between the layers is considered to be flexible in both the longitudinal and the transversal direction. The following assumptions are also adopted in the model: for each layer (i.e., the beam and the side plates) the geometrically linear and materially non-linear Bernoulli's beam theory is assumed, all of the layers are made of different homogeneous non-linear materials, the debonding of the beam from the side-plates due to, for example, a local buckling of the side plate, is prevented. The suitability of the theory is verified by the comparison of the present numerical results with experimental and numerical results from literature. The mechanical response arising from the theoretical model and its numerical formulation has been found realistic and the numerical model has been proven to be reliable and computationally effective. Finally, the present formulation is employed in the analysis of the effects of two different realizations of strengthening of a characteristic simply supported flexural beam (plates on the sides of the beam versus the tension-face plates). The analysis reveals that side plates efficiently enhance the bearing capacity of the flexural beam and can, in some cases, outperform the tensile-face plates in a lower loss of ductility, especially, if the connection between the beam and the side plates is sufficiently stiff.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.553-563
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• 1997

A procedure is being developed for bolting plates to the sides of existing reinforced concrete beams to strengthen and stiffen them. Unlike standard composite steel and concrete beams in which there is longitudinal-partial-interaction at the steel/concrete interface (that is slip along the length of the beam), composite bolted side-plated reinforced-concrete beams are unique in that they also exhibit transverse-partial-interaction, that is slip transverse to the length of the beam. In this work, the fundamental mathematical models for transverse-partial-interaction and its interaction with longitudinal-partial-interaction are developed. The fundamental models are then further developed to determine the number of connectors required to resist the transverse forces and to limit the degree of transverse-partial-interaction in bolted side-plated reinforced concrete beams.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.227-243
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• 2000

In a companion paper, tests on bolted side plated beams have shown that side plates can substantially increase the strength of existing reinforced concrete beams with little if any loss of ductility and, furthermore, induce a gradual mode of failure after commencement of concrete crushing. However, it was also shown that transverse interaction between the side plates and the reinforced concrete beam, that is vertical slip and which is a concept unique to side plated beams, is detrimental. Transverse interaction increases the forces on the bolt shear connectors and, hence, weakens the beam. It also reduces the ability of the composite plated beam to yield and, hence, to attain its full flexural capacity. The generic concept of transverse interaction will be described in this paper and the results used to develop a new form of rigid plastic analysis for bolted side plated beams which is illustrated with an application.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.443-453
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• 2017

The performance of bolted side-plated (BSP) beams is affected by the degree of transverse partial interaction, which is a result of the interfacial slip caused by transverse shear transfer between the bolted steel plates and the reinforced concrete beams. However, explicit formulae for the transverse shear transfer profile have yet to be derived. In this paper, a simplified piecewise linear shear transfer model was proposed based on force superposition principle and simplification of shear transfer profiles derived from a previous numerical study. The magnitude of shear transfer was determined by force equilibrium and displacement compatibility condition. A set of design formulae for BSP beams under several basic load cases was also derived. Then the model was verified by test results. A worked example was also provided to illustrate the application of the proposed design formulae. This paper sheds some light on the shear force transfer mechanism of anchor bolts in BSP beams, and offers a practical method to evaluate the influence of transverse partial interaction in strengthening design.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.505-518
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• 2000

A major cause of premature debonding of tension face plates is shear peeling (Jones et al. 1988, Swamy et al. 1989, Ziraba et al. 1994, Zhang et al. 1995), that is debonding at the plate ends that is associated with the formation of shear diagonal cracks that are caused by the action of vertical shear forces. It is shown in this paper how side plated beams are less prone to shear peeling than tension face plated beams, as the side plate automatically increases the resistance of the reinforced concrete beam to shear peeling. Tests are used to determine the increase in the shear peeling resistance that the side plates provide, and also the effect of vertical shear forces on the pure flexural peeling strength that was determined in the companion paper. Design rules are then developed to prevent premature debonding of the plate ends due to peeling and they are applied to the strengthening and stiffening of continuous reinforced concrete beams. It is shown how these design rules for side plated beams can be adapted to allow for propped and unpropped construction and the time effects of creep and shrinkage, and how side plates can be used in conjunction with tension face plates.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.735-751
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• 2012

Although being one of the most popular strengthening techniques in reinforced concrete beams, the use of steel plates bonded to the soffit raises problems of ductility. This study aims at investigating the influence of the use of perforated steel plates instead of solid steel plates on the ductility of reinforced concrete beams. A total of nine reinforced concrete beams were tested. In addition to an unplated beam, eight beams with perforated steel plates of two different thicknesses (3 mm and 6 mm) were subjected to monotonic loading. Effect of bonding the plates to the beams with anchor bolts and with additional side plates bonded to the sides of the beam with and without anchors is also investigated. The use of bolts in addition to epoxy was found to greatly contribute to the ductility and energy absorption capacity of the beams, particularly in specimens with thick plates (6 mm) and the use side plates in addition to the bottom plate was found to be ineffective in increasing the ductility of a concrete beam unless the side plates are attached to the beam with anchors bolts. The thickness of the plate was found to have little effect on the bending rigidity of the beam.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.71-96
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• 2011

Existing reinforced concrete (RC) beams can be strengthened with externally bolted steel plates to the sides of beams. The effectiveness of this type of bolted side-plate (BSP) beam can however be affected by partial interaction between the steel plates and RC beams due to the mechanical slip of bolts. To avoid over-estimation of the flexural strength and ensure accurate prediction of the load-deformation response of the beams, the effect of partial interaction has to be properly considered. In this paper, a special non-linear macro-finite-element model that takes into account the effects of partial interaction is proposed. The RC beam and the steel plates are modelled as two different elements, interacting through discrete groups of bolts. A layered method is adopted for the formulation of the RC beam and steel plate elements, while a special non-linear model based on a kinematic hardening assumption for the bolts is used to simulate the bolt group effect. The computer program SiBAN was developed based on the proposed approach. Comparison with the available experimental results shows that SiBAN can accurately predict the partial interaction behaviour of the BSP beams. Further numerical simulations show that the interaction between the RC beam and the steel plates is greatly reduced by the formation of plastic hinges and should be considered in analyses of the strengthened beams.