Modeling and analysis of strengthened reinforced concrete beams with fiber additive polymers by finite element method

In Turkey where the seismicity is crucial, the horizontal structural elements are strengthened by the fiber polymer (LP) material which causes to increase the system ductility and the load capacity in order to satisfy the necessary and adequate performance under the horizontal loads. In the scientific literature in recent years, it is possible to find many experimental and numerical studies about the strengthening of the building elements with LP. The main purpose of this thesis is to perform the plastic (nonlinear) analysis of reinforced concrete beams retrofitted by LP material using nonlinear finite element method. Considering the methods used by earlier researchers, finite element models are created in the ANSYS program. According to the results of the laboratory tests performed, the epoxy component was mathematically modeled. Reinforcement concrete beams in the Pham and Al-Mahaidi's studies in literature are analyzed under static loadings. The load-displacement curve results obtained from the analyses and the experimental data show that the results found are consistent.