Punching Shear Strengthening of Two-Way

Flat Slabs with CFRP Grids

M. Hasan Meisami 1; Davood Mostofinejad 2; and Hikaru Nakamura 3

Abstract: This article presents the results of an experimental program on two-way flat slabs with central loading. The slabs were designed
according to the American Concrete Institute code. One slab without any modification was used as the control and four were strengthened
with different carbon fiber–reinforced polymer (CFRP) grid configurations including one with preinstalled and three with postinstalled fiber–
reinforced polymer (FRP) strengtheners. For strengthening, 8, 16, and 24 strengtheners were used. A method was developed for predicting
maximum loading capacity in slabs strengthened with CFRP grids and epoxy resin used in drilled holes. The results of the experiments show
that the proposed strengthening method enhances maximum loading and deformation capacities. Furthermore, the proposed strengthening
method prevents brittle failures that may occur under vertical concentrated loadings. The dominant failure mode for flat slabs strengthened
with FRP grids is found to be deboning of FRP grids due to the small slab depth. In addition to the increased shear capacity of the slab up to a
reasonable value, this method of strengthening is capable of changing slab failure from the shear mode to the flexure mode. DOI: 10.1061/
(ASCE)CC.1943-5614.0000443. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
Author keywords: Carbon fiber; Debonding; Modeling; Slab strengthening.

Introduction
Flat slabs are especially advantageous for their ease of installation,
which has earned them various applications in a variety of con-
struction projects that involve multistory structures of wide spans.
However, they lack a beam network at the column connection,
which leads to a punching failure within the shear area. The situation
may become even worse if the punching failure is coupled with
an unbalanced moment. A number of solutions have been proposed
to overcome this shortcoming of flat slabs, some of which are
currently being practiced already. These include application of
heads and collars around columns, and using rods or steel shear
heads at the connection zone. Recently, the advent of new construc-
tion materials (especially composites) has given rise to numerous
studies to investigate their application for strengthening various
types of structures, including the development of internally installed
and externally installed carbon fiber–reinforced polymer (CFRP)
stirrups. A review of the these previous solutions follows.
Khalifa et al. (1999) proposed the application of a U-shaped
mechanical anchor for strengthening slabs. Binici (2003) investi-
gated the use of CFRP stirrups fixed in holes drilled around col-
umns independently for both eccentric and concentric loadings.
In these experiments, the two-way shear strength was considerably
improved with no anchorage ruptures observed. They concluded
that CFRP stirrups evidently improved the shear strength and de-
formation capacity after punching shear failure of the connection.
1
Ph.D. Graduate, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Isfahan Univ. of Technol-
ogy, Isfahan 84156-84111, Iran (corresponding author). E-mail: meisami@
cv.iut.ac.ir; mhm7050@gmail.com
2
Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Isfahan Univ. of Technology,
Isfahan 84156-84111, Iran. E-mail: dmostofi@cc.iut.ac.ir
3
Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Nagoya Univ., Nagoya
464-8603, Japan. E-mail: hikaru@nagoya-u.jp
Note. This manuscript was submitted on May 21, 2013; approved on
September 23, 2013; published online on November 20, 2013. Discussion
period open until April 20, 2014; separate discussions must be submitted
for individual papers. This paper is part of the Journal of Composites for
Construction, © ASCE, ISSN 1090-0268/04013047(10)/$25.00.
Stark (2003) and Stark et al. (2005) extended Binici’s work to seis-
mic applications and showed that the method proposed by Binici
improved the efficiency of the column connection against the seis-
mic behavior of flat slabs. Widianto et al. (2009) studied the two-
way shear strength of slab-column connections. Limam et al.
(2003) applied CFRP sheets on the tensile side of the slab. They
concluded that the two-way shear strength of the slab was enhanced
while a considerable reduction was observed in its deforma-
tion capacity. They also concluded that the rupture mode of the
strengthened slab would take place in the form of CFRP de-
bonding. To increase the tensile and shear strengths of slabs,
Burr (2004) arranged FRP stirrups in sheets and applied them
on slabs using an epoxy resin. El-Salakawy et al. (2004) simulta-
neously applied FRP sheets and steel bolts to observe the ultimate
strength increasing between 23 to 30%. The presence of steel
bolts enhanced the deformation capacity of the connections and
transformed the punching failure mode to a flexural one. Mostafa
(2005) investigated the efficiency of anchorage using the comb
method in the form of NEFMAC, which is new fiber composite
material for reinforcing concrete made from glass, aramid, or car-
bon fibers. This method was capable of delaying the effective de-
bonding so that even after debonding started, the well-anchored
FRP sheets were capable of bearing loads. Chen and Li (2005) in-
vestigated the effect of GFRP on the tensile surface of slabs.
Observing the increased punching strength, they found that their
method was more effective when applied to slabs with a lower com-
pressive strength and with lower reinforcement ratios.
In order to overcome the low shear capacity of the flat slab-
column connection, a mechanism is sought that yields a better shear
performance. Generally speaking, the following objectives must be
pursued when employing composites and novel methods of com-
bating punching shear in the connection area: (1) increased shear
capacity of the connection area in newly cast slabs by using CFRP
strengtheners; (2) increased strength in existing slabs suffering
from low punching shear capacity; and (3) where possible, in-
creased flexural strength combined with enhanced punching shear
capacity. To achieve these objectives, a new method is proposed in
this article for strengthening slabs with CFRP grids.

© ASCE 04013047-1 J. Compos. Constr.

Experimental Study
Construction of Samples and the Experimental Design
Five slabs, 105 mm thick and 1,200 mm wide, were constructed.
The reinforcement size and configuration in all the slabs included
Φ6 used for the top layer and Φ16 used as the lower layer reinforce-
ment, as shown in Table 1 and Fig. 1.
Upon construction, holes were drilled in the slabs and CFRP
sheets were mounted in 8, 16, and 24 sheet arrangements around
a loading plate with a rectangular section of 150 mm in the center of
the slabs as shown in Fig. 2. Strengtheners were then installed using
a two-component epoxy resin to make the strengthened slabs.
As seen in Table 2, the CS40 lacking any strengthener is the
control slab. FG-16B represents the slab with the preinstalled
FRP grid, i.e., the prestrengthened specimen. This case was per-
formed just for comparison and not as a real case of strengthening.
For the FG-8A, FG-16A, and FG-24A slabs, respectively, 8, 16,
and 24 special spacers were installed at the FRP positions prior to
casting concrete. After initial hardening, the spacers were removed
from inside the concrete to be replaced with 8, 16, and 24 FRP grids
around the loading plate shown as A, B, and C in Fig. 2.
Specimens were kept under monotonic loading until rupture.
Using a hydraulic jack, loading was applied on a steel plate 150 ×
150 × 30 mm in size and the data were extracted via a load cell.
The load was applied through a displacement control procedure
with a constant rate of 1 mm=min; the test setup and loading
apparatus are shown in Fig. 3.
Displacement was measured using 5 LVDTs designated L1 to
L5 in Fig. 1. L1 was placed in the center on the tensile side of the
slab to record the downward movement in the center of the slab
while the other 4 were installed at the corners on the compressive
side to measure the upward movement of the slab corners as these
points were not fixed but free to move. Relative displacement was
defined as the average difference between lateral and central dis-
placements, and used in drawing the load-displacement curve. The
strains in reinforcement and the FRP grid were recorded using
2-mm strain gauges. Strain gauges 1 through 10 were installed in
the center of the tensile reinforcement located in the middle of the
slab while SG1 through SG4 were installed on the FRP grid as
shown in Fig. 1. To determine the strain in concrete, 100-mm strain
gauges C1 through C4 were installed on the compressive side of
the concrete around the loading plate as in Fig. 1.
To increase the shear capacity of the slab, a portion of the CFRP
grid was especially prepared as shown in Fig. 4(b) and placed
inside the slab. In order to create suitable spaces for the FRP grid
inside the slab, special spacers of 150 mm height through the slab
depth were put inside the concrete during the casting process
[Fig. 4(a)] to be subsequently removed after 5 to 6 h, in order
to prepare suitable place for FRP grid installation. The core of
FRP grid was 7 mm wide and 4 mm thick forming two wing-shaped
projections 22 mm wide as shown in Fig. 4. The form of the FRP
grid requires the two projections devised around the central core
to serve as a lateral mechanical anchorage in order to provide
stability. Finally, the FRP grid was installed by plugging the hole
ends and filling them with the two-component resin (Fig. 4).

Table 1. Details of Specimen Arrangement

Dimensions (L × W × D) Bottom reinforcement Top reinforcement Reinforcement property Strain gauges
1,200 × 1,200 × 105 mm 11Φ16, ρ ¼ 2.20% 11Φ6, ρ ¼ 0.35% f y ¼ 420 MPa E ¼ 200 GPa 10 þ 4

Fig. 1. Slab layout and reinforcement arrangements (in mm); (L1 to L5 refer to LVDTs, and C1 to C4, 1 to 10, and SG1 to SG4 refer to strain gauges
on concrete, on bottom reinforcement and on FRP grids, respectively)

© ASCE 04013047-2 J. Compos. Constr.

Fig. 2. FRP grids arrangements on slab around (150 × 150 × 30 mm) loading plate (8, 16, and 24 strengthener positions for types A, B, and C,
respectively)

Table 2. Test Specimen Details

Test Test Slab 0
f c;test
number name details (MPa) Description
1 CS40 — 42.4 Plain slab
2 FG-8A 8 FRP grid 43.5 FRPs fixed with epoxy
after casting
3 FG-16B 16 FRP grid 43.5 FRPs put in fresh concrete
before casting
4 FG-16A 16 FRP grid 44.1 FRPs fixed with epoxy
after casting
5 FG-24A 24 FRP grid 41.7 FRPs fixed with epoxy
after casting

Material Mechanical Specifications

Using the existing mixture design and according to the Japanese
concrete code [Japan Society of Civil Engineering (JSCE) 2007]
presented in Table 3, the required concrete was made with a com-
pressive strength of 40 MPa. The CFRP grids used were 1,500 ×
1,800 mm in size with a 50-mm network. The selected FRP was
140 mm long with a rectangular section of 5 mm wide and 3.5 mm Fig. 3. Test setup for loading slabs
deep, which also had two side wings each with length of 8 mm and
depth of 5 mm (Fig. 5). The FRP grids had an ultimate strength of
1,400 MPa, an ultimate strain of 0.015, and a Young’s modulus of According to the manufacturer’s certificate, the two-component
100,000 MPa according to the manufacturer’s (NCK Co., Japan) epoxy resin, if properly combined and cured (which it was in this
certificate. Fig. 5 shows the stress-strain relationship of the steel study), would reach shear and tensile strengths of 10 MPa after 6 h
and CFRP grids used. at 20°C, or after one day at 5°C. The mechanical properties of the

© ASCE 04013047-3 J. Compos. Constr.

 Fig. 4. Strengthening with FRP grid: (a) special spacers in fresh concrete; (b) FRP grid; (c) installed FRP grid using epoxy resin

Table 3. Concrete Mix Proportion and Strength completely shear behavior as evidenced by both the sudden drop in
f c0 Gmax W C S G shear capacity after reaching its maximum value and the small dis-
(N=mm2 ) W=C S=a (mm) (kg=m3 ) (kg=m3 ) (kg=m3 ) (kg=m3 ) placement which led to the slab’s failure. Fig. 6 shows the load-
displacement curve of the FG-8A slab strengthened with 8 FRP
40 0.6 45 20 175 292 775 962
grids according to type A in Fig. 2 along with the corresponding
Note: a = Aggregate (sand þ gravel); C = Cement; Gmax = Max gravel size; control slab CS40. The 28-day compressive strengths of CS40 and
W = Water; S = Sand; G = Gravel. FG-8A were 42.4 and 43.5 MPa, respectively. The punching shear
capacity of FG-8A was 313.8 kN, which occurred at a displacement
of 10.1 mm. Comparison of the control slab CS40 and the strength-
resin were a modulus of elasticity of 3.2 GPa, a tensile strength of ened slab FG-8A reveals a considerable increase of 29.8% in the
70 MPa, and an ultimate strain of 4.0%. punching shear capacity and a shift in displacement corresponding
to the maximum load from 6.4 to 10.1 mm. In addition to the in-
crease gained in the punching shear capacity of the section for both
Analysis of the Control and CFRP-Strengthened the strengthened and nonstrengthened cases, the use of 8 FRP grids
Slabs had the advantage that a shear behavior was achieved in the
strengthened slab. This indicates the contribution by strengthening
Load-Displacement Curves of CS40 and FG-8A Slabs by FRP grids to the increased slab shear capacity. To achieve more
efficient comparisons,
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
ffi the loads were normalized by a factor of
The load-displacement relationship of the control slab CS40 is 0 0
shown in Fig. 6. It is clear that the punching shear capacity of the f c;control =f c;test , the results of which are given in detail in Table 4.
slab is equal to 241.7 kN for a displacement of 6.4 mm, indicating a In the normalized case, the increased capacity observed for slab

Fig. 5. Material properties reported by the manufacturers and FRP grid shape

© ASCE 04013047-4 J. Compos. Constr.

 400 FG-24A the FRP grid involves one along the central axis and two along
FG-16A
FG-16B the upper and lower wings with the two-component epoxy resin.
350 FG-8A In other words, this method is recommended as an efficient method
CS40
for strengthening two-way slabs such that the punching shear in
300
them is overcome.
250
FG-16A and FG-24A Slabs
Load (kN)

200
150
100
50
0
0 10 20
Displacement (mm)
Fig. 6. Load-displacement relationship for slabs CS40, FG-8A,
FG-16B, FG-16A, and FG-24A
FG-8A was 28.2%, which is still considerable and indicates the
efficiency and effectiveness of both the method and the materials
used. According to Table 4, the ductility factor in this case was
1.87, which, compared to the control slab with a factor of 1.14,
indicates an increase in the value for this parameter.
FG-16A and FG-16B Slabs
The load-displacement curves for slabs FG-16A and FG-16B, re-
spectively, a poststrengthened and prestrengthened slab, are shown
in Fig. 6 together with that of the control slab CS40. The difference
between these two slabs lies in their strengthening method to the
effect that 16 FRP grids were installed using the two-component
epoxy resin in FG-16A on day 15 of its casting when the holes
were drilled. Meanwhile in FG-16B, the same number of grids were
installed inside the molds before casting the concrete.
According to Table 4 and Fig. 5, slabs FG-16A and FG-16B,
exhibited increased shear capacities of 49% and 23.5%, respec-
tively, compared to the control slab CS40, in the normalized case.
In either of the two test slabs, the increased shear capacity is ac-
companied by rupture in the shear mode. Given the few reading
points beyond the maximum point, a slight shift is observed from
the shear to the flexural mode. This increased shear capacity must
naturally be due to the capacity created by the FRP grids. A careful
examination of Fig. 5 reveals that the capacity thus created in
FG-16A is greater by 14% than that in FG-16B. Therefore, given
the fact that the load transfer from the slab concrete to the FRP grid
is accomplished through the two-component epoxy resin, it may
well be concluded that the provisions made in FG-16A as a
strengthened slab give it the required strengthening when FRP grids
are installed after casting concrete. The proposed arrangement for
Fig. 6 depicts the load-displacement curve for the slab FG-24A
strengthened with 24 FRP grids and the one for the slab FG-16A
strengthened with 16 FRP grids, both being strengthened after cast-
ing concrete. A similar curve is shown here for the control slab
CS40. Here, the normalized loadings in Table 4 are used for the
analyses due to the differences observed between the strengths
of the 28-day concrete specimens. Considering the fact that the
maximum values for the normalized punching shear capacity of the
three slabs CS40, FG-16A, and Fg-24A are 241.7, 340.0, and
378.1 kN, respectively, the increased shear capacity in FG-24A
must be equal to 56% compared to that of CS40 and 11.2% com-
pared to that of FG-16A.
Not only is the increased capacity in FG-24A remarkable, but its
change of behavior is also significant. In slab FG-16A, reductions
beyond the maximum capacity point have occurred in rather large
steps. Meanwhile in slab FG24A, the reduction in capacity follows
a continuous trend along the loading points, indicating a change
from shear to flexural behavior. Fig. 6 illustrates the gradual behav-
ioral change of the three slabs. The failure behavior of FG-16A,
despite its first seemingly shear one, is accompanied by no large
loading drop after the maximum loading, although the fall is still
considerable. It can therefore be said that FG-16A has a shear-
flexural behavior as evidenced by the cracking of the slab’s tensile
surface. In FG-24A, the slab completely changes its behavior from
a shear to a flexural one, although a reduction in capacity is also
observed after maximum loading. However, does this reduction
never occurs in large steps and continues gradually up to a displace-
ment of 20 mm.
Given the fact that the load shift in the strengthened slabs occurs
from slab to FRP grid via the epoxy resin and its associated adhe-
sion mechanism, the total arrangement must have the capacity not
only to transfer the load but also to create the necessary capacity in
the strengthened slab. The results obtained clearly show that this
objective is achieved. Another point of interest is the difference be-
tween the deformations of the material used in the FRP grid com-
pared to the brittle behavior of steel. However, the composition thus
made in the strengthened system could not only increase the shear
capacity but also lead to changing the brittle rupture behavior of the
slab to a deformable one. Thus, a thin core, comprised of one FRP
grid and two upper and lower wings, which act as a lateral anchor-
age around the core, easily transfers the load between the slab and
the FRP grid through a contact surface of 105 mm, thus creating the
necessary strengthening in the slab in an efficient manner. The area
of the FRP grid core is 17.5 mm2 , which is equivalent to a circular
section with a diameter of 4.7 mm. This is small compared to the
diameters of 20 and 12.5 mm of the screws and FRP rods used in

Table 4. Test Details: Load, Displacement, Normalized Load Values, and Ductility
Py (kN) Pu (kN) Py;n (kN) Pu;n (kN)
Test number Specimen name 0
f c;test (MPa) Real forces Normalized forces δ y (mm) δ u (mm) Ductility
1 CS40 42.4 225.9 241.7 225.9 241.7 6.4 7.3 1.14
2 FG-8A 36.6 253.6 313.8 250.4 309.8 5.4 10.1 1.87
3 FG-16B 37.7 242.3 302.3 239.2 298.5 5.5 8.4 1.53
4 FG-16A 42.4 232.6 347.6 228.1 340.8 4.4 8.5 1.93
5 FG-24A 43.5 244.6 375 246.6 378.1 3.8 10 2.63

© ASCE 04013047-5 J. Compos. Constr.

similarly strengthened slabs by Meisami et al. (2013). It may there-
fore be concluded that despite the small dimensions of the FRP grid
used, the benefits associated with the use of this construction
material, such as enhanced shear capacity and change of shear to
flexural behavior, are enormous. Hence, the use of FRP grids with
an epoxy resin is efficient and acceptable in enhancing the shear
resistance of slabs despite the short contact surface between con-
crete and FRP grids and the small dimensions of the grids used.
Cracking Pattern and Failure Mode of Slabs
Strengthened with CFRP Grid
Fig. 7 shows the cracking pattern on the tensile surface of the slabs.
As can be seen, cracks started to propagate from the initial loading
point outwards along two perpendicular directions on the slab,
one flexurally weak and one strong. In slabs with a flexural behav-
ior, the cracks then extended from the central area under loading
toward the lateral edges and corners as loading increased. In slabs
with a shear behavior, a sudden drop was observed in the load ex-
erted on the slab after a roaring sound due to the collapse of the
slab, which indicated a shear rupture. The shear behavior and the
flexural behavior are clearly seen in the control slab CS40 and
the strengthened slab FG-24A, respectively. Based on Fig. 7, the
behaviors exhibited by the slabs can be classified as follows: a
shear behavior for the slabs CS40, FG-8A, and FG-16B; a shear-
flexural behavior in FG-16A; and a flexural behavior in FG-24A.
The punching shear zones around the central loading plate and
on the compressive surface (the upper surface of the slab) for slabs
CS40, FG-16A, and FG-24A are shown in Fig. 8. The shear zone
Fig. 7. Tension surface crack patterns and flexural expansion of all the specimens after failure: (a) CS40; (b) FG-8A; (c) FG-16B; (d) FG-16A;
(e) FG-24A
© ASCE 04013047-6
in the control slab CS40 occurred quite near the loading plane, in-
dicating a completely shear behavior. In the strengthened slabs
shown in Fig. 8, it is clear that strengthening causes the punching
shear zone to move from the loading plate outward to the slab
edges. This zone in the FG-16A slab lies in the central area between
the edge of the loading plate and the ends of the area covered by the
FRP grids. It gives rise to a shear-flexural behavior accompanied by
increased shear capacity on the slab. In the FG-24A slab, the punch-
ing shear area has been moved more outside the area strengthened
with FRP grids. This shift in the shear zone that extends at an angle
of 45° from the upper compressive surface of the slab toward the
lower tensile surface causes the punching shear cone to grow larger.
It thus causes an increase in the shear capacity and shifts the shear
behavior of the slab into a flexural one.
Strain in Flexural Reinforcement Rods and Shearing
CFRP Grids
The strain data in slabs strengthened with FRP grids have been
recorded during loading and the results for flexural rods and
FRP grids in slabs strengthened with a 24 arrangement have been
presented in Fig. 9 together with the associated load-displacement
curve. The strain in one of the rods exceeds 0.02, i.e., 10 times the
steel yielding strain (0.002), while it simply exceeds this quantity
in the other rods. Thus, increasing shear capacity has been made
possible by strengthening with FRP grids and by transferring the
load from the slab to the FRP grid, such that all the longitudinal
reinforcement rods have reached their yield point. It is under such
circumstances that the slab’s behavior changes from one of shear to
J. Compos. Constr.
Fig. 8. Punching shear area on the top of the slabs CS40, FG-16A, and FG-24A: (a) CS40, shear area near loaded plate; (b) FG-16A, shear area,
between FRP grids; (c) FG-24A, shear area, outside FRP grids

(a) (b)

(c)

Fig. 9. Strain distribution in longitudinal steels and FRP grids: (a) CS40, longitudinal steel strain; (b) FG-24A slab, longitudinal steel strain;
(c) FG-24A slab, vertical FRPs strain

one of flexure. The maximum loading on the slab recorded in this
situation was 375 kN.
In FRP grids, the strain in one of the rods exceeds 0.004. Given
the FRP grid distributional symmetry in Fig. 1, strain gauges were
installed on only one-fourth of the FRP grid. Thus, along the whole
slab, strain exceeded 0.004 in 4 strain gauges of the FRP grids
(i.e., 17% of total strain gauges), strain values measured in 12 strain
gauges varied between 0.002 and 0.004 (i.e., 50% of total strain
gauges), and one strain gauge recorded no strain. According to
FRP manufacturer’s report, maximum rupture strain in FRP grids
is equal to 0.012. All the strain values recorded are therefore far less
than the rupture strain of this material, so that the maximum strain
value recorded by the strain gauges is one-third of that reported
by the manufacturer while it has been able to improve the behavior
of the slab by changing it from a shear to a flexural one. The failure
of the shear capacity to increase and the failure of the slab to bear
additional loads may be justified by the low thickness of the slab,
which is practically related to the effective height along the adhe-
sive length of the epoxy resin. This short length causes a shear rup-
ture in the resin before the FRP grid can reach its maximum value,
and consequently, strain (and thereby, stress) in the FRP grid will
be far less than its capacity.
From a different perspective, strain in the FRP grid is seen
in Fig. 9 to continue increasing even after the load reaches its

© ASCE 04013047-7 J. Compos. Constr.

maximum value in the control slab, i.e., 250 kN. This is evidence
for the claim that the FRP grid has contributed to improved slab
behavior by changing it from a shear to a flexural one and to
the increased shear capacity.
Estimation of the Shear Capacity of Slabs
Strengthened with CFRP Grids
Based on the results obtained from the comparison of slabs
strengthened with FRP grids and those strengthened with CFRP
rods in Meisami et al. (2013), it is evident that the method used
in estimating the shear capacity of slabs strengthened with FRP
rods may also be used for those strengthened with FRP grids.
It is necessary to rewrite the equations for this new type of material.
Examination of the shapes on the cracking surfaces in the exper-
imental specimens reveals that the area of the punching shear cone
on the top (compressive) side of the slab extends from the vicinity
of the loading plate or column on the two-way slab to outside the
strengthened area on the lower (tensile) side of the slab within
a distance between d and 2d. To follow a unified procedure from
now on, we assume, as in Fig. 10, that the edge of the punching
shear cone on the top surface begins from the edge of the loading
plane and continues down to a point at a distance d outside the
strengthened zone on the lower side of the slab. The cracked cone
will intersect with all the elevations of the FRP grids as also shown
in the midplane of the slab in Fig. 10. Generally, the nominal shear
capacity of the slab may be calculated as follows:
V Punch ¼ V C þ V FRP ð1Þ
where V C is the nominal shear strength of concrete that can be
calculated using either the JSCE code (JSCE 2007) or ACI-318
[American Concrete Institute (ACI) 2008]. V FRP is the nominal
shear strength supplied by the FRP grids and is equal to
V FRP ¼ minfV F1 ; V F2 g.
According to the method proposed by Meisami et al. (2013),
two different rupture modes are considered for calculating V FRP :
the shear rupture mode based on adhesion, which is designated by
V F1 ; and the rupture mode in FRP grids, which is designated
by V F2 representing the shear strength supplied by the FRP grids.
Finally, the minimum values of V F1 and V F2 are taken as V FRP .
In the present study, a similar method is used to develop the
value of V FRP for slabs strengthened with FRP grids. In the slab
Fig. 10. Punching shear cone, strengthening line and middle plane
section in slabs (in mm)
© ASCE 04013047-8
case, V F1 will be the sum of the shear adhesive forces around
all the FRP grids included within the punching shear cone. In other
words, this force, which is due to adhesive strength, will be equal to
the sum of the mean adhesive strengths around the FRP grids. If the
punching shear cone edge is defined as the inclined line drawn from
top to bottom in the slab section shown in Fig. 10, the adhesive
force may then be calculated using Eq. (2), relative to the shortest
FRP grid intersecting the punching shear cone edge:
V F1 ¼ mPfrp τ b Ltot ð2Þ
where m is the number of strengthening lines drawn through the
slab center toward the slab outermost edge, or indeed, the edges
of the punching shear cone shown in Fig. 10; Pfrp is the circum-
ference of the FRP grid section; and τ b is the average adhesive
strength.
P
In Eq. (2), Ltot ¼ Lx;y eff represents the sum of all the effective
lengths of FRP grids in Fig. 10 that are intersected by one of the
punching shear cone edges and are calculated by considering the
wings around the main FRP core in Fig. 5. All the wings on both
top and bottom sides of the FRP core must be measured for cal-
culating the effective length by considering that x and y are in the
depth and width directions of the slab for measurements along the
lengths and widths of the FRP grids (Fig. 5).
By definition, the effective length will be the shortest length of
two lengths of an FRP grid intersected by the punching shear cone
edge. For illustration, the effective lengths for the three FRP grids
in Fig. 10 extending from the slab center toward the slab edge
will be equal to 17.6, 42.6, and 37.3 mm. Based on the above def-
initions and the 8, 16, and 24 strengthening configurations used for
strengthening the slabs, the values for m will be 4, 8, and 8, respec-
tively. According to De Lorenzis and Nanni (2001), since the FRP
grid length used in the present study, which is the same as the slab
depth, is less than 24dfrp (where dfrp is the diameter of an equivalent
FRP rod), the τ b of the adhesive strength will have a constant value
equal to the shear strength reported by the manufacturer of the
epoxy resin used.
The contribution of the FRP grid to shear capacity will be de-
fined as the force exerted in the FRP grids, which is the same as the
shear strength contributed by the FRP grid designated by V F2 and
calculated from Eq. (3) for the slab as Afrp f frp :
V F2 ¼ ΣAfrp ffrp ¼ ΣAfrp Efrp εfrp ð3Þ
where Afrp is the area of the FRP grid, Efrp is the FRP grid’s Young
modulus, and εfrp is the strain in the FRP grid that may be extracted
from the data obtained from strain gauges installed on the FRP
grids for the slab strengthening experiments.
Based on our experimental results, the strain in FRP grids is less
than its allowable limit (i.e., 0.004 μs) predicted by De Lorenzis
and Nanni (2001). Therefore, only the forces created in the FRP
grids must be calculated for these slabs. This may be explained by
the fact that in the slab strengthening method used, the FRP grid
length, which is the same as the slab depth, is very low compared to
those of other structural elements such as beams or columns. Thus,
the short length of the FRP grid does not allow a great force to be
generated in the FP grid. In fact, it is the limited adhesive stress
between concrete and FRP that causes a smaller force than the
available capacity to be transferred to the FRP strengtheners.
Analysis of Strengthened Slabs Using the
Theoretical Method
The proposed equations were used to estimate the loads on the slabs
strengthened with FRP grids according to a method based on the
J. Compos. Constr.
Table 5. Comparison of Test and Predicted FRP Results
Specimen m Ltot (mm) V F1 (kN) Σεfrp V F2 (kN)
FG-8A 4 72 82.4 9,420 165
FG-16A 4 72 164.8 36,056 631
FG-24A 8 97.5 228.7 77,308 1,353
adhesive rupture mechanism of the epoxy resin and the FRP grid.
The results are presented in Table 5. The following parameters have
been considered in these calculations: the average adhesive strength
of the epoxy resin, τ b , which is taken to beP equal to 10 MPa as
recommended by the manufacturer; Ltot ¼ Lx;y eff is calculated
at the section of the FG-24A slab, which according to Fig. 10 is
equal to the sum of the effective lengths (i.e., 17.6, 42.6, and
37.3 mm); εfrp is the strain in the FRP grid to be extracted from
the test results; and m, as discussed previously, will be equal to
4, 8, and 8 for the 8, 16, and 24 configurations. The value for
V C is calculated using the values in the JSCE code for a non-
strengthened slab, with the only difference that the element factor,
which is a safety factor, is neglected in this case.
Based on the results reported in Table 5, the test load of the
slab and its estimated punching shear for FG-8A will be equal to
313.8 and 293.9 kN, respectively, and the ratio V Test =V Punch will be
equal to 1.07, indicating a difference of only 7%, which shows the
nearly equal values of estimated and real loads. In this situation,
the experimental load on the slab is greater than the estimated one,
indicating the greater capacity of the FRP grid in real situations
compared to the theoretical conditions assumed here for strength-
ening slabs with 8 FRP grids. In the case of FG-16A, the test load
and the estimated punching shear are 347.6 and 376.3 kN, respec-
tively, and their ratio is 0.92, a difference of 8% between the actual
and the estimated loads. In FG-24A, the test load and the estimated
punching shear are 375 and 440.2 kN, respectively, with the cor-
responding ratio being 0.85 (a difference of 15% between the actual
and the estimated loads). The low differences ranging from 7 to
15% confirm the good agreement between test results and esti-
mated loads. The difference observed in FG-16A and FG-24A is
not similar to that observed for FG-8A; in this latter case, the test
load is less than the estimated one, which indicates the lower capac-
ity of the FRP grid in real-life conditions than its capacity under the
theoretical conditions considered for slabs strengthened with 16
and 24 FRP grids. In addition to the adhesive power of the epoxy
resin for transferring loads from the slab to the FRP grids, the rea-
son for this difference in the case of FG-16A and FG-24A may be
sought elsewhere. For example, it may be due to the inadequate
capacity of the whole slab for bearing a greater load due to its
low flexural capacity or its shear capacity relative to the flexural
capacity in the slab.
It is evident from the calculations presented in Table 5 that the
failure mechanism in slabs strengthened with FRP grids would be
due to the adhesive rupture in all the cases. Given the dominance of
V F1 , this rupture is due to the rupture in the bonding between the
FRP grid and the concrete surface, pointing to the inadequacy of the
resin used. It is also clear from Table 5 that the loading capacity
created in the FRP grid is in all cases greater than the adhesion and
the bonding between the FRP grid and the concrete surface such
that V F1 always dominates.
Conclusions
In this study, the punching shear behavior of slabs strengthened
with CFRP grids was investigated. Epoxy resin was used for
installing CFRP grids. One slab was used as control, and three
© ASCE 04013047-9
V FRP (kN) V C (kN) V Punch (kN) V Test (kN) V Test =V Punch
82.4 211.5 293.9 313.8 1.07
164.8 211.5 376.3 347.6 0.92
228.7 211.5 440.2 375 0.85
others strengthened with FRP grids were used for the experi-
ments. Based on the results obtained from the limited experiments
carried out in the current study, the following conclusions may
be drawn:
1. The shear capacities of the strengthened slabs with 8 and 16
CFRP grids were increased by 29.8 and 49%, respectively,
compared to that of the unstrengthened control slab. Further-
more, a punching shear failure mode was observed in this case.
2. Compared to the control slab, the strengthened slab with 24
CFRP grids exhibited an increased shear capacity of 56% and
a shear-flexural failure mode.
3. Increasing the number of CFRP grids not only increased the
shear capacity of the slabs but also changed their failure mode
from a punching to a flexural one.
4. Punching shear capacity increased by 30 to 65% in the
strengthened slabs compared to its value predicted from the
relevant equations, which indicated that the results obtained
were acceptable and that strengthening with CFRP grids sig-
nificantly increases the punching shear capacity.
5. A method was proposed in this study for predicting maximum
loading capacity in slabs strengthened with CFRP grids and
with epoxy resin used in drilled holes. Comparison of the re-
sults obtained from bond control equations proposed for the
slabs shows differences of 4 to 28% in load capacity predic-
tions. The calculations in this study are thus in good agreement
with experimental values obtained for the shear capacity of the
test slabs.
6. The results of this study indicate that the dominant failure
mode for flat slabs strengthened with CFRP grids in strength-
ened cases is the deboning of FRP grids due to the small depth
of slabs, although this short depth increases the shear capacity
of the slab up to a reasonable value and may change the slab
failure mode.
7. The increased load capacity and the crack pattern of the dif-
ferent slabs studied shows the efficiency of the proposed
strengthening method using GRP grids.
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