Description
Mechanical fasteners are employed to anchor externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates to concrete structures by generating compressive stresses on the joint. However, the optimum parameters for the anchoring system that minimize the potential for premature debonding failure while maximize the ultimate load still need to be investigated.
In this work, single shear tests are performed to an EBR strengthening system under externally induced normal stresses using a large metal plate affixed with bolts. A numerical procedure based on the finite difference method and a metaheuristic optimization algorithm has been utilized to obtain the bond-slip law that describes the constitutive behaviour of the anchoring system. Moreover, the separated contributions of the cohesion of the adhesive joint and the friction induced by the external normal stresses are analysed separately. Decohesion and friction behaviours are experimentally characterized and the separated cohesive and friction stress-slip laws are obtained. The experimental behaviour of the full anchoring system is compared against that obtained by combination of the separated cohesive and friction contributions. The method represents progress in examining how different anchoring parameters, including the size (width and thickness) of the anchor plate and the torque applied to the bolts, influence the performance of the anchoring system in an efficient and systematic manner.
