Experimental testing on CFRP strengthened thin steel plates under shear loading

• Published in: Thin-walled structures 2016-12, Vol.109, p.217-226
• Main Authors: Khazaei Poul, M., Nateghi-Alahi, F., Zhao, X.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon fiber reinforced plastics; CFRP; Cyclic loading; Energy absorption; Glass fiber reinforced plastics; Plates; Shear; Stiffness; Structural steels; Thin steel plate; Ultimate tensile strength
• ISSN: 0263-8231; 1879-3223
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tws.2016.09.026

This paper presents an experimental study on thin steel plates strengthened by CFRP layers under shear loading. A series of laboratory tests were conducted on scaled one-story steel shear panel models with hinge type connections under cyclic quasi-static loading. One of the specimens is un-stiffened and selected as a reference sample of three others specimens. Steel infill plates are strengthened by CFRP layers with different numbers of layers and orientations. The results indicate that the strengthening of thin steel plate by CFRP layers increases ultimate strength, secant stiffness and energy absorption. Comparisons are made between the performance of CFRP and GFRP strengthened steel plates under cyclic shear loads. It was shown that both materials were effective at increasing stiffness and strength of the system. The increased ratio is similar for both FRPs when two layers are applied. However, adding additional two layers of CFRP does not provide extra benefit in terms of stiffness and energy absorption although there is still benefit for ultimate strength. •Experimental tests were performed on the CFRP-strengthened steel plates under quasi-static loading.•CFRP-strengthening method is useful for increasing the dissipated energy of thin steel plate under shear loading.•The effect of fiber orientation on shear strengthening was studied and proved to be very important.•The failure in the CFRP-strengthened specimen was determined to be caused by a combination of several modes.