Properties Of Wire Mesh/Steel Bar Mortar Strengthening Reinforced Concrete Beam

In order to develop a better method for concrete-strengthening, an idea of wire mesh/steelbar (large diameter) mortar (WM/SBM)-strengthening for RC beams was proposed. 12 beamswere made and a three-stage comparatively experimental study was carried out.4 beams were used for the first stage study. The flexural behaviors of the RC beamstrengthened with wire mesh mortar and the RC beam strengthened with WM/SBM werecompared through an experimental study. Primary investigations on the suitable ratio betweenwire mesh and steel bar and the factors influencing construction quality were performed as well.The research results showed that the WM/SBM strengthening not only has the advantagessimilar to that of the wire mesh mortar strengthening, but also may lead to a much higher loadbearing capacity. However, this research also showed that too many layers of wire mesh mayresult in a difficult and poor construction.In the light of the first stage research, an idea of strengthening RC beam with wire mesh(small quantity)/steel bar mortar was proposed. 4 beams strengthened with wire mesh (smallquantity)/steel bar mortar and 1 comparative beam were taken for the second stage research onthe flexural behaviors. The test results showed that the wire mesh(small quantity)/steel barmortar-strengthening not only may keep the advantages similar to that of the wire mesh mortarstrengthening, but also may lead to a much higher load bearing capacity under an area ratio of0.07 between wire mesh and steel bar.To make our research close to practice, another two beams strengthened with wire mesh(small quantity)/steel bar mortar were used for the third stage of the experimental study.Secondary loading was performed on the 2 beams. The research results were compared withthose obtained in the second stage study. The test results showed that the cracking loads of thesecondary-load beams were obviously lower than those of beams without secondary loading. Theother characteristics, however, were similar.The above research showed that the method to strengthen RC beam with WM/SBM notonly conquers the disadvantages of complicated constructions, large increase on size existed inenlarging section method, the disadvantages of susceptible to corrosion existed in steel platestrengthening method, and the disadvantages of low-heat-resistant, low-fire-resistant and aging existed in FRP strengthening method, but also has a construction process as simple as that ofFRP strengthening method. Base on the above research, the proposed method should beresearched and developed ulteriorly.Finally, a study assumption for the future was put forward according to the researchactuality and the problems met during the experimental research.