Steel reinforced polymer (SRP) sheets for strengthening two-way concrete slabs

Two-way reinforced concrete (RC) slabs are widely used in the design and construction of buildings. Occasionally, if the slab is deteriorated during its structural life, or a load bigger than the slab design load is required, the slab may require strengthening. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Steel Reinforced Polymer (SRP) sheets for the strengthening of two-way RC slabs.;An increase of up to 75% in the load at which the internal steel reinforcement yielded was observed in the strengthened slabs relative to the unstrengthened control slabs. An increase in the ultimate load of up to 78% was observed with the addition of SRP sheets. The deflections at service conditions were decreased by up to 42% with the addition of SRP sheets.;A modified yield line analysis was conducted to predict the behaviour of the specimens strengthened with SRP. The analysis was able to predict the ultimate strength of the SRP strengthened slabs to within 15%.;In general, it appears that SRP sheets can be an efficient and effective method of strengthening two-way RC slabs and that a modified yield line analysis can adequately predict the increases in the ultimate strength. v;A total of six (6) large-scale, square, two-way RC slabs measuring 3000 x 3000 x 90 mm were constructed. The slabs were constructed in two series, with two different arrangements of internal steel reinforcement. The first series, S1, had a reinforcement ratio of 1.23% in the central strips and 0.62% in the outer strips of the slabs. The second series, S2, had a steel reinforcement ratio of 0.62% in the central strips and 0.32% in the outer strips. One slab of each series was left unstrengthened as a control slab. One slab from each series was strengthened with non-prestressed SRP. In the first series, the third slab was strengthened with non-prestressed and anchored SRP and in the second series, the final slab was strengthened with prestressed and anchored SRP. The slabs were simply supported on all four edges and a square line loading was applied. The slabs were subjected to a quasi-static load and tested to failure.;...