Inês G. Costa

This paper presents a new pre-fabricated lightweight slab system where the relatively high post-cracking tensile capacity of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) is combined with the high ductility and tensile strength of optimized shape profiles made by cold formed steel sheets for a synergetic result in terms of structural performance. The SFRC...

The present work describes an integrated approach that leads to the development of a new model capable of describing the tensile behavior (mode I) of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC), considering the orientation of the fibers, the fibers segregation along the cross-section of the FRC members and the pullout constitutive model of each fiber bridging...

Within the scope of the “NG_TPfib” R&D project, Exporplás and CiviTest have, in the recent past, developed a new typology of polypropylene fibers for the production of urban furniture of high durability by eliminating conventional steel reinforcements susceptive to corrosion. This reinforcement replacement strategy also allows the development of li...

In the present work, a multiscale model for fibre reinforced concrete (FRC) beams failing in bending is presented. At the microstructural level, the fibre is modelled as a one-dimensional continuum with axial, shear and bending deformability, with cohesive-like interfaces to simulate the interaction with the surrounding concrete. At the macroscopic...

The addition of metallic fibres in concrete is a widely used technique to increase its resistance to crack opening, energy absorption capacity, and durability. The properties of the resulting composite strongly depend on the geometry of the fibres, which usually dispose of an hooked end, as well as on the mechanical properties of both the fibre and...

In this work, a computational model for simulating the relevant mechanisms governing the pull-out of a discrete reinforcement embedded into cement based materials is described. The model accounts for the material and geometric properties of the reinforcement, which can include an anchored end, the interface between reinforcement and surrounding med...

In this work, a new technique for the efficient confinement of reinforced concrete (RC) columns of rectangular cross-section is described and its effectiveness is assessed experimentally. This technique is based on the concept of applying strips of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) wet layup sheets with a certain prestress level using a mechan...

No passado recente, o grupo de investigação "Structural Composites" da Universidade do Minho e a empresa CiviTest – Pesquisa de Novos Materiais para a Engenharia Civil, Lda. têm realizado vários estudos experimentais e numéricos avançados, em parceria, que permitiram a aquisição de conhecimento e o desenvolvimento de materiais de matriz cimentícia...

54 ФИБРОБЕТОН ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИК И ПРОЕКТИРОВАНИЕ материалы Фибробетон (ФБ) представляет собой цементирующий материал, армированный дискретными волокнами, применение которого возросло за последние десятилетия. Тем не менее проектировщики имеют недостаточно опыта в отношении потенциальных возможностей этого материала и подхода к проектировани...

In this study, the potentialities of an innovative hybrid technique for the simultaneous flexural and shear/punching strengthening of existing reinforced concrete (RC) beams/slabs are experimentally assessed. This hybrid strengthening technique combines the NSM technique for the flexural strengthening and ETS technique for the shear/punching streng...

In this study, the potentialities of an innovative hybrid technique for the simultaneous flexural and shear/punching strengthening of existing reinforced concrete (RC) beams/slabs are experimentally assessed. This hybrid strengthening technique combines the NSM technique for the flexural strengthening and ETS technique for the shear/punching streng...

This chapter provides an overview on the state-of-the-art in prestressing systems for the structural retrofitting of reinforced concrete (RC) structures using Externally Bonded (EB) Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP). Focus is put on flexural strengthening, which currently is the most common application field for composite materials in structural engi...

This chapter gives an overview on the state-of-the-art about verifications of reinforced concrete structures using Externally Bonded (EB) Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP) under particular loading condition. Focus is mainly put on flexural strengthening, nowadays the most common application field for composite materials in structural engineering. The...

Despite the extensive research on the debonding behavior of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening systems, no standard methodology has been established on its experimental characterization. To assess the performance and reliability of small-scale testing on near-surface mounted (NSM) FRP strengthening systems, an experimental program was car...

The use of prestressed near-surface mounted fibre-reinforced polymers (NSM-FRP) has been long acknowledged to be a suitable approach to strengthen and retrofit existing reinforced concrete structures. The application of a certain amount of prestress to the FRP prior to its installation provides a number of benefits, mainly related to crack width an...

Epoxy adhesives are nowadays being extensively used in Civil Engineering applications, mostly in the scope of the rehabilitation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. In this context, epoxy adhesives are used to provide adequate stress transference from fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) to the surrounding concrete substrate. Most recently, the poss...

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) applied according to the Near Surface Mounted (NSM) technique are known as capable of increasing the ultimate flexural resistance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) elements, but for Serviceability Limit States (SLS) the load increment it provides is, in general, relatively limited. Recently, researchers are giving...

The study of the bond behaviour between fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) systems and concrete is an issue that nowadays attracts many researchers. The scientific community dedicated to the research of FRP reinforcement has been conducting numerous experimental programmes aiming to assess the local bond–slip law of the FRP–adhesive–concrete connection...

Although various test methods to examine the local bond behaviour of FRP strengthening systems to concrete have been proposed thus far, their implementation can lead to a wide range of results and a standard methodology has yet to be generally accepted. With these issues in mind, a Round Robin Testing (RRT) programme was carried out to assess the p...

Although various test methods to examine the local bond behaviour of FRP strengthening systems to concrete have been proposed thus far, their implementation can lead to a wide range of results and a standard methodology has yet to be generally accepted. With these issues in mind, a Round Robin Testing (RRT) programme was carried out to assess the p...

Near surface mounted (NSM) technique has proved to be a very effective technique for the flexural strengthening of RC beams. Due to the relatively small thickness of the concrete cover that several beams present, cutting the bottom arm of steel stirrups for the installation of NSM laminates might be a possible strategy, whose implications on the be...

Experimental, numerical and analytical investigations have revealed that Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strips with larger cross section height improve the effectiveness of the Near Surface Mounted (NSM) technique for the flexural strengthening of existing reinforced concrete (RC) beams. However, this height is limited to the concrete cover...