Numerical Study of Flexural Behavior of CFRP-Strengthened RC Beams with Mechanical Anchorage
Abstract
Externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets provide an effective method for enhancing the flexural behavior of reinforced concrete beams (RC) because of their superior tensile properties and resistance to environmental deterioration. However, the overall strengthening efficiency can be limited by early separation at the CFRP–concrete interface, which restrictsthe full contribution of the sheets. Mechanical anchorage techniques have been proposed to improve interfacial performance and promote efficient force transfer between CFRP and concrete. In this research, A nonlinear three-dimensional model was developed using the finite elemen method (ABAQUS/Standard) to simulate the flexural behavior and evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed reinforcement technique. The study focuses on assessing the effectiveness of mechanical anchoring systems in improving bond strength and preventing premature separation between the CFRP sheets and the concrete. Three (RC) beams were used: an unstrengthened control beam (BO), a CFRP-strengthened beam without anchorage (BC), and a CFRP strengthened beam incorporating mechanical anchorage plates (BCAV100), The numerical simulations indicated a considerable rise in load-carrying capacity owing to CFRP strengthening, with the ultimate load increasing from 167 kn for the control beam to 215 kn for the strengthened beam, demonstrating an improvement of 28.7%. The introduction of mechanical anchorage further increased the ultimate load to 235 kn, corresponding to gains of 40.7% and 9.3% relative to the control and unanchored strengthened beams, respectively. Moreover, the strengthened beams exhibited higher stiffness and improved load–deflection characteristics, while the mechanically anchored beam demonstrated superior post-peak stability and enhanced deformation capability.These results highlight the effectiveness of mechanical anchorage in improving load transfer, reducing premature debonding, and maximizing the structural efficiency of CFRP strengthening systems.