Interface bond between FRP systems and substrate: Analytical modeling

In the field of external strengthening and repairing of existing reinforced concrete structures, steel reinforced polymers (SRP) systems have emerged as a competitive alternative to the use of the more common carbon and glass fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. Experimental investigations have frequently shown the potentials of these innovative composite systems in improving the performance of deficient structural members. At the same time, additional studies are needed to expand the existing knowledge and either to provide design recommendations or to develop specific guidelines. The paper fills some of the foregoing knowledge gaps by presenting an analytical investigation on the bond behaviour between SRP and concrete in which closed‐form solutions are derived to predict the entire debonding propagation process. In particular, accurate and simplified local shear stress‐slip (τ‐s) laws are employed in the proposed modelling from which different expressions for the interfacial shear stress distribution, the axial stress profile and the concrete‐SRP relative displacement (slip) are developed and commented in the paper; analytical estimates of the SRP effective bonded length are provided as well as relationships for calculating the maximum axial stress (or peak force) at SRP laminate debonding.The analytical procedure was, firstly, applied to simulate some single‐lap shear tests performed in a previous experimental program with the purpose to investigate the influence on the debonding propagation process of the following main parameters: a) concrete strength, b) concrete surface finish and c) steel tape density. Then, the comparisons between the numerical simulations and the experimental results available for some bond tests have allowed for verifying the accuracy of the proposed modelling.