Fatigue flexural behaviour of corroded reinforced concrete beams repaired with CFRP sheets

The use of FRP externally bonded sheets for the rehabilitation of structurally deficient reinforced concrete structures has been shown to be effective. Infrastructure such as bridges and offshore platforms may suffer corrosion damage at the same time as being subjected to oscillatory loads causing fatigue. Very little information is available about the behaviour of FRP repaired corrosion damaged structures under repeated loading.; This study investigated the behaviour of corroded reinforced concrete beams repaired with FRP sheets under repeated loading.; The study showed that pitting of the steel reinforcement due to corrosion occurred only after about 7% actual mass loss which coincided with a decrease in the fatigue performance of the beam. The controlling factor for the fatigue strength of the beams is the fatigue strength of the steel bars. The failure of both the unrepaired beams and those repaired with CFRP sheets was precipitated by the failure of the steel reinforcement. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...