Predictions of the maximum plate end stresses of FRP strengthened beams .2.

Experimental testing of 1.0 m long reinforced concrete beams with fibre reinforced plastic plates, epoxy-bonded to their soffits has been carried out as detailed in an accompanying publication. Since collapse due to plate separation was found to be the dominant failure mechanism in these tests, an analytical procedure derived elsewhere has been used in this paper to try to identify the stress levels at the ends of the plate which are thought to be responsible for collapse, and to see the effects of the test parameters on these predicted stress values. This procedure, which has been verified experimentally for steel plated beams, is found to predict maximum shear and normal stress levels in excess of those thought to produce failure in applications in which steel is used as the plating medium.