Steel-concrete
composite bridge girders damaged due to corrosion or fatigue cracks can be
repaired by adhesively
bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets.
This paper describes the results of the first phase of an experimental study on
beams of 1960 mm span length. Each beam is composed of W150 x 22 steel section
acting compositely with a 75 mm thick by 465 mm width concrete slab to simulate
an actual bridge girder condition. A severe damage was introduced by
saw-notching the steel tension flange through the entire thickness at mid-span.
Two different types of CFRP sheets were then applied to the tension flange to
restore the stiffness and strength capacities of the undamaged control beam.
The beams were tested to failure in four-point bending. The findings of this
study indicate that proper selection of composite material properties and
immediate application of FRP sheets after steel surface preparation are crucial
for a successful repair.