Finite element modeling of concrete structures reinforced with internal and external fibre-reinforced polymers

Externally bonded fibre-reinforced-polymer (FRP) laminates and fabrics have been successfully used for strengthening damaged or deficient concrete members, whereas internal FRP reinforcements are becoming an efficient alternative to steel reinforcement, particularly in corrosive environments. Despite the enormous progress that has been observed in the last decade, further research is still required to consolidate recent developments and expand the scope of application of FRPs for structural uses. Nonlinear finite element analysis combined with laboratory testing constitutes an efficient approach for pursuing this objective. The scope of this paper is to illustrate, through a selection of a wide variety of typical applications, the contribution of a refined three-dimensional (3-D) constitutive model for investigating the nonlinear response of concrete structures reinforced with internal and external FRPs. The analyses are carried out using a general and portable constitutive concrete model implemented as a user-defined subroutine at Gauss integration point level in commercial finite element software. The constitutive law follows a 3-D hypoelastic approach that models the nonlinear behaviour of concrete using a scalar damage parameter that accounts for the anisotropic behaviour of partially confined concrete and the inelastic volume expansion upon reaching the peak strength. In tension, the model adopts a macroscopic approach that is directly integrated into the concrete law. It simulates implicitly the reinforcing bar – concrete interaction using tension-stiffening factors modified according to the nature of reinforcement that vary as a function of the member strain. The applications include results of well-known test series published in the literature on beams with external and internal FRP reinforcement, slabs with internal reinforcements, bond failure analysis of external FRP, and the effect of confinement on the behaviour in compression of circular and square elements. The paper demonstrates the ability of the concrete model to correctly simulate the behaviour of structural elements reinforced with FRPs at service load level and reproduce failure mechanisms and loads that are consistent with the experimental observations.Key words: constitutive model, nonlinear analysis, finite element, reinforced concrete, glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), strengthening, steel.