An experimental investigation on shear behaviour of RC T-beams strengthened with CFRP using photogrammetry

Photogrammetry is used to investigate the load-deformations characteristics of reinforced concrete T-beams strengthened with carbon fibre reinforced polymer 'CFRP' plates. The technique is used to determine the displacement of a range of points on the beams' surfaces at selected load levels up to and after failure. Approximately 1500 targets were placed on each beam on the concrete surface as well as on the L-shaped CFRP plates. The aims of the photogrammetric measurements are to determine the shear crack width development with load and movements of the L-shaped CFRP plates relative to the concrete layer. Comparisons are carried out to determine the difference in the deformation mechanism across the four experimental T-beams tested. Load-slip relationships of the L-shaped CFRP plates processed from the photogrammetric measurements are compared against experimental results of the T-beams. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.