MATERIALS AND METHODS FOR RETROFITTING OF RC BEAMS - A REVIEW

The awareness on strengthening of structures came into being in the minds of engineers and scientists during the 1960s. Strengthening technique was essentially originated and developed keeping the bridge structures in mind. This technique was particularly a dire need for bridges because alternate solutions may affect the traffic conditions very seriously for a prolonged or unacceptable span of time. Different methods of structural strengthening/retrofitting techniques have been developed over the years such as external bonding of steel plates, glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP), fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets, external prestressing, carbon fibre wrapping, external bar reinforcement, and very recently improved external (bars) reinforcement techniques. The objective of this paper is to critically review the strengthening techniques developed so far with reference to the effect of each technique and their salient features in enhancing the strength of RC beam elements. However, it is hoped that the review on the use of different techniques for retrofitting of RC beams presented in this paper will widen the horizon to retrofitting technology as a cost effective and easy to execute method.